Summer Gone Wrong
by Dragonmistriss
Summary: Summer is supposed to be about fun. But when the brotherhood is captured and Todd shows up at the mansion begging for help, will they aid him? YAY! chapter 9 is here!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men or X-Men Evo  
  
Story: Basically written to keep me from complete boredom during the summer. The first few chapters may prove plotless...but I'm doing my best to develop a plot. *hint hint* E-Mailed ideas are badly requested.  
  
Chapter Summary: The first day of summer at the Institute and Brotherhood. ((short, simple, and sweet. What more can you ask for? And don't answer "A longer summary" XP))  
  
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Chapter 1: Wake-Up Calls  
  
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The first day of summer, the blessed first day of sleeping in, of swimming and sun bathing all day, or hanging at the mall. The skies were almost literally the limits for the students of Xavier's. It was 7 a.m., and so far only Kurt had woken early to get dibs on Ororo's famous breakfasts. He had left his image inducer in his room, freedom was his at last. Time for fun and insanity. He quickly devoured the first three plates of chocolate chip pancakes that Ororo graciously provided him with. Of course this was only after he had made them into the Waugner Suicide pancakes by drenching them in maple, strawberry, blueberry, and cinnamon syrups topped off with just a dab of honey. Life was sweet...but sometimes it needed a little help, that's what he liked to think of it as. Finally his stomach was temporarily full and Kurt himself was bored and ready to get summer started. Listening intently, he could hear no other footsteps than Storm's right beside him and Logan's heavy boots thundering down the stairs. He let out a sigh, alarm clock duty again. He looked over to Storm, giving his famous smile that could only be compared to the brightness of a nuclear explosion.   
  
"Danke for 'de vonderful breakfast Storm!"  
  
He chimed in cheerily, glancing over at the doorway to see Logan's drowsy face. Kurt refrained from giving his famous smile to Logan...the adamantium man was not much of a morning person, especially when he had the knowledge that he was now going to have to put up with all Xavier's students 24/7 unless they were scheduled to go home, which most were not. Ororo looked to Kurt and smiled back kindly.  
  
"You are more than welcome Kurt."  
  
The mischief in his eyes made her smirk a little.  
  
"Take it easy on the wake up calls, alright?"  
  
"Oh ja, of course."  
  
Kurt replied dramatically, but pure mischieviousness danced in his eyes. There was no doubt that he enjoyed wake up calls...though few would agree with him. But he had no doubt that some of the new recruits...Bobby and Jamie more than any others...would aid him. He grinned wickedly before bamfing out of the room. Let the summer-time fun begin.  
  
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The room was dark and cold, yet Bobby Drake was perfectly at home in the freezing temperatures. Snuggled under a think layer of blankets, he thought nothing of it. For one night, he had a dreamless sleep and was enjoying every minute of it. Then a 'bamf' sound entered his thoughts, a blue fuzzy elf as well...then he noticed the smell of sulfur caught in the chilled air. He sat straight up as if he had been awake for hours, smirking brightly. He glanced over at his clock. Breakfast had only occupied Kurt for a grand total of 45 minutes, the clock nearly read 8 a.m.   
  
"Wake up calls so late today, Kurt?"  
  
He asked sarcastically. Kurt replied with a wicked smirk.   
  
"Ja, it's the first day of summer! Ve must make some sacrifices to 'ow long we eat when vake up calls avait! Now come on...ve still 'ave to get Jamie."  
  
Bobby nodded.   
  
"I'll meet you in the hall in front of his door in five."  
  
Kurt nodded, teleporting out of Bobby's room and into Jamie's. Bobby jumped out of bed, racing over to his dresser and pulling out his usual outfit before starting to get dressed. All the while he was still smirking widely, summer would officially begin at no later than 10 a.m., the three of them would see to that.  
  
Kurt found himself in the near abyss darkness of Jamie's room, and had to stop for a minute to try and figure out if he was even in the right place. He took a few cautious steps forward, holding his hands out in front of him and searching for a lamp or the curtains, anything light giving. Finally he stumbled upon the curtain and pulled in back, looking around to discover Jamie hopelessly tangled in the sheets. He laughed a little, walking over and tapping Jamie on the shoulder. Jamie jumped up, but was quickly pulled back down by his restraints. He blinked in the light for a moment before his eyes finally registered Kurt's face. Without another word he was smirking like a mad man, tearing himself free from the sheets and jumping out of bed.  
  
"Bobby and I vill be vaiting outside your door, zee you in five!"  
  
And Kurt was gone in a puff of smoke and sulfur. Jamie nodded violently anyway, racing to get ready.  
  
Bobby raced down the hall, looking at his watch. He was supposed to be in front of Jamie's room right that moment...man. He was almost there, running at full speed, when he nearly ran into Kurt as he teleported from inside Jamie's room. Jumping backwards to avoid a collision, Bobby stumbled a little before feeling a two-fingers hand catch his wrist.  
  
"SHHH!"  
  
Kurt hissed at him.  
  
"Ve don't vant to vake everyone up before ve even start the traditional vake up call, now do ve?"  
  
Bobby gave an apologenic half smile, standing back up. Kurt smirked back mischieviously, both their attention was caught by Jamie's door squeaking open. The youngest recruit bounded over to them hardly able to contain his excitement. Both huddled around Kurt, their unofficial leader in the wake-up call.  
  
"Ok men, now, 'ere is vhat ve are going to do..."  
  
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The silence of morning was the only time that Kitty found complete peace. She had stayed in the same place as when she had fallen asleep, hand resting on the phone after she had hung up and Lance's number scrawled onto a little piece of paper clutched tenderly in her other hand. By the time she had finally gotten off the phone with Lance, her eyes were too dry to see the exact time and she had drifted off to the welcoming arms of sleep. But from where she was in her dreams she was pretty sure that she had only been asleep 5 hours at best.   
  
In the main dorm hallway, Kurt and his small team stood at the top of the stairs, staring down the long row of doorways.  
  
"Alright now, just like ve planned. Ready?"  
  
Bobby nodded, ready to elbow Jamie as hard as he could. Kurt was standing on the other side of the boy, ready to do the same.  
  
"Alright zen....GO!"   
  
Both elbowed Jamie at the same time, sending his temporary multiples shooting down the hall. All the multiples equaled about 25. Kurt smirked wildly, giving a nod to start the next part. He grabbed hold of Bobby's wrist, teleporting them up into the air ducts.  
  
  
  
"Remember....don't move from 'is spot, or you'll get stuck up 'ere for a while."  
  
Kurt reminded him. Bobby nodded as Kurt smirked and teleported back down to where Jamie and his multiples stood waiting in front of every door in the hallway...more than one for the more difficult people to wake up such as Rogue. Kurt gave him a double thumbs up, jumping up and tapping three times on one of the vents. Then he was gone. Bobby heard his signal, and began creating an icy mist that flowed down into each room, easily dropping the temperature down close to 19 degrees. Jamie's multiples waited outside the rooms until he could feel the cold air radiating from under the doors before he started they all started pounding on the doors like mad. Wide, wicked smirks were on each multiples face when the first scream was heard from inside the first room.   
  
Kurt appeared in Jean's room first. She had huddled up under her blankets in the smallest ball she could possible achieve. He held back his laughter when he pounced on the foot of her bed , making the loose ends of the blankets fan up and letting in the cold air to her warm, self-created sanctuary. She yelped, jumping up and in doing so also pulled the mass of blankets as tightly around her as possible. She gave Kurt a fierce look, lifting him up into the air.  
  
"Kurt!"  
  
She screeched, tossing him towards the door.  
  
"You maniac! Get out!"  
  
"Happy first day of summer vacation to you as well, Jean!"  
  
Kurt cackled before teleporting over to the next room. This time it was Evan's room he had invaded. Evan was nothing more than a lump under a mountain of blankets, but the quivering gave him away that he was no longer asleep. Kurt smirked, jumping to the ceiling, grabbing onto the hanging light with his tail and hanging above Evan. He reached down, yanking the covers off and nearly getting impaled by a spike in the process.  
  
"Dude! It's freezing! Give those back!"  
  
Evan shouted, only in a white muscle shirt and a pair of black boxers with white and gold flames on them. He leapt up at him; Kurt dropped the blankets and teleported to the next room.  
  
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All the banging outside her door and cold air failed to wake Kitty up immediately. Her hand that rested on the phone recoiled under the blankets, but she drug the phone with her. It was only when her bed shifted a little that she woke up. She looked through the disappearing darkness to see two yellow eyes and a blindingly white smirk at the foot of her bed. Kurt, no one else could possibly be such a lunatic at 8 in the morning.   
  
"Like, what do you want fuzzy?"  
  
Kitty yawned, not bothering to even sit up. Kurt sat down, making it a point to fall more than sit. Kitty bounced a little with the springs, but only gave a soft growl.  
  
"Kurt, this is like...so unfair! Can't you do this another day?"  
  
The smirk only widened.  
  
"Vhat's vrong mien katzchen? Not vant to get up and enjoy 'de first day of summer?"  
  
Kitty gave him a cold, heartless stare.  
  
"Kurt! It's freezing in here! I, like, just want to hibernate, ok?"  
  
"Fine, fine. But you can expect a vorse vake-up call tomorrow if you don't get up."  
  
"Like, I don't care. Just go away!"  
  
Kurt gave her a hurt look, but teleported from her room.  
  
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From downstairs, Logan and Storm were looking up at the ceiling, listening to Kurt's 'wake-up call service'. Storm had an amused smile on her face, Kurt always got more inventive and recruited more helpers as the weekends and summers came. But Logan didn't look so happy.  
  
"I'm not saving blue boys butt from them this time. He and his minions are on their own."  
  
Ororo glanced over at Logan, but her smile only brightened.  
  
"That, Logan, is what you said last time...though I seem to remember a certain someone breaking down a wall because the students had messed with Kurt's concentration too much and he teleported inside a wall…"  
  
Logan gave a low growl, though it lacked his usual gruff tone when given to Ororo. She was right, of course, so no need to put up a full-fledged battle of wills.  
  
"That was different, he didn't know where he was and besides, he was wrecking the electrical wires with that taila his."  
  
Logan did have to smirk though, remembering the fro Kurt had gotten from the mild shocks of the disturbed electrical wires. His thoughts were cut short when Jean, Scott, and the newer recruits filed downstairs dressed in sweaters and sweatpants, some even with heavy winter coats on. Logan and Storm both gave them puzzled looks.  
  
"What on earth is going on?"  
  
Ororo finally asked. It was almost 90 degrees outside, certainly no weather for long sleeves and pants…especially not meant for winter coats. Jean sent a cold glare to them both.  
  
"Kurt and his stupid wake-up call service, what else?"  
  
"Yes, but,"  
  
Ororo began, but Scott stopped her.  
  
"Kurt 'ported Bobby up in the air ducts somewhere...the little maniacs freezing us out!"  
  
"All except Kitty and Rogue."  
  
Jubilee added in. Jean nodded and sighed.  
  
"They are too afraid to go wake Rogue up because she's already ticked about it being so cold. No one knows what's up with Kitty."  
  
Storm gave a gracious smile, and side stepped, revealing platefuls of steaming hot chocolate chip pancakes.  
  
"Well then, you will be glad to eat a hot breakfast at least."  
  
The younger recruits darted past Jean and Scott, grabbing a plate each and going back to the table and the Rec Room. Storm watched them go and handed Jean and Scott their plates.   
  
"Don't be too hard on the three of them. You know how they can be."  
  
"Yeah...I know..."  
  
Scott grumbled, but had to smile a little when handed his plate. Nothing, probably not even Kurt, could ruin a pancake breakfast.  
  
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Within the drab confines of the Brotherhood house, all was seemingly quiet. Wanda had made it clear that waking her up before at least noon was an instant death sentence before slamming her door shut and locking it. Todd, determined to keep her demand enforced, sat outside the closed door. Though through the night he had fallen asleep, and was now leaning back against the door. Fred had been up for nearly an hour or more, making himself breakfast. Pietro had fallen asleep on the couch after too much high-speed channel surfing. Lance was up in his room, the phone cradle had become his pillow, the phone itself was still held beside his ear, beeping softly from where he couldn't bring himself to hang up even after Kitty had said goodnight.  
  
A small explosion from the kitchen jolted Pietro awake. Wearily he glared in Fred's general direction.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!?"  
  
"Makin' breakfast!"  
  
Fred shouted back. Pietro placed a free hand over his face and shook his head. He needed no further explanation than 'makin breakfast'. Fred was a hazard to any kitchen, that was for sure.   
  
"What did you blow up this time?"  
  
"...Er, the...microwave."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"It looked big enough to hold everything..."  
  
Pietro cringed, new microwaves were expensive. He made a mental note to tell Toad to pick up the payoff level of his pick pocketing. Funds didn't come from the sky, and Daddy Mags was as hard to find as Mystique. He glanced over at the stairway to see Toad giving him the cut off sign, his eyes wide and fearful. Pietro smirked.  
  
"I don't have anything to worry about Toad...you know she'll just blame it on you anyway."  
  
"Exactly!"  
  
Todd hissed.  
  
"Just cool it with the explosions!'  
  
"You need to talk to Fred about that, not me."  
  
Pietro growled. Todd glanced into the kitchen at the charred mess that Fred was trying to pry free from the microwave. He shook his head, not even bothering to say anything, and walked slowly back upstairs.  
  
The explosion failed to even stir Lance, who was too far away in his dream to even be aware of anything in the real world anymore. But the yelling did wake him up. He suddenly noticed his ear ringing in time with the beeping of the phone, and promptly put it back on the cradle. He sat up, looking around as if for a moment he didn't remember where he was. When he caught sigh of Toad walking past his room to return to guard Wanda's door. He shook his head as if just seeing Todd had been a bad dream. He turned away from the phone and lay back down on his bed, pulled one of the blankets over his head as a silent warning and went back to sleep.  
  
Todd crept back to Wanda's door to find that it was slightly open. He cautiously took a few more steps forward, then stopped. Just a large enough band of light failed to illuminate her outline under the covers. Todd began to turn around to race back downstairs for safety, but Wanda was right behind him.  
  
"Hello, frog-boy."  
  
She snarled in a malice filled tone. Todd gulped, backing up with his hands out in front of him.  
  
"Yo...Wanda...it wasn't my fault. I...I told 'em to shut up, but..."  
  
"Well now its your turn to shut up..permanently!"  
  
Wanda shot a hex bolt at him, but he had been waiting for it and leapt nimbly out of the way...though hit the stairs wrong and tumbled down to the ground floor. He recovered from his impossible heap as quickly as possible, jumping away into the kitchen. Wanda didn't bother to follow him, instead she slipped back in her room, put on her Theory of a Dead Man cd and went back to sleep. Toad remained clinging to the ceiling, right under Wanda's room so that he knew she wouldn't try and hit him with her hex bolt again. From upstairs, the noise again stirred Lance in his sleep, and he made the very foundation of the house quake for a minute, then stopped and listened. All was silent, good. With that accomplished he tried to allow sleep to wash over him a third time, yet fate was against him and the phone rang. He snatched it up, growling irratably into the mouth piece.  
  
"Hello..."  
  
"Sounds like your morning has been as 'wonderful' as mine..."  
  
Kitty's voice grumbled back. Lance couldn't help but smirk a little.  
  
"Yeah. The official beginnings of summer. What fun..."   
  
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Authors Note: Well, there you have it, the first chapter. It's not the greatest, but then a lot of thngs I write are the same way, so I'm used to it. When I have time too add more detail, I will have it posted in my bio when I update this chapter. Chapter 2 should be internet bound sometime at the end of next week. I warn you now, it is short because it isn't a chapter that holds a lot of plot with it. Just be warned. Constructive criticism is welcome. I need a better title and future chapter ideas too!  
  
Translations:  
  
Danke- Thank You  
  
Ja- Yes  
  
mien katzchen- My Kitten ((which could also be Kitty, I guess.)) 


	2. Phone Convo

Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men. Nope, sad but true.  
  
Summary: A phone conversation leads to an unexpected invite...  
  
A/N: Ok, short chappy, but it's just here to get me over a minor plot hurtle put up by the evil plot bunnies.  
  
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Phone Convo  
  
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"Tell me about it. Like, this morning is going to be a living nightmare."  
  
"Hasn't it been that already?"  
  
Lance asked with his groggy, slightly teasing voice. On the other end of the phone, Kitty muffle a giggle.  
  
"Now that you mention it...it has been. Kurt and his band of manics have been at their wake up call for...."  
  
There was a quick pause as Kitty glanced over at her alarm clock.  
  
"About an hour now. I still don't think they've managed to get Rogue up...."  
  
Her voice trailed off as she gave a quick listen to the chaos outside in the hallway. One quick scream from Jamie told all...the queen of darkness had been awaken before noon. Amazing as it was, Kitty only gave a quick smirk and started listening to Lance drone on about his morning.  
  
"What are you X-geeks going to be doing today?"  
  
Lance finished off teasingly. He heard Kitty give him a testing sigh.  
  
"Like, I don't know. I know I'm totally going to hit the pool. What about you guys, Lance?"  
  
"I don't know...I think Wanda will be playing 'Kill Todd' for the better part of the day. Other than that...your asking the wrong person."  
  
"Well, like, why don't you drag them down here to hang out? I'm sure the professor won't mind!"  
  
Lance debated for a moment, then nodded to himself.   
  
"Sure, I'll bring them down for a while. When do you want us to be over there?"  
  
"Oh...like, maybe an hour or two?"  
  
"Alright, I'll see you then I guess."  
  
"Cool! Bye Lance!"  
  
Kitty hung up the phone quickly, forcing herself out from the sanctuary of blankets and into the arctic temperature to get dressed.  
  
Lance wandered aimlessly downstairs, looking at the small group in the living room and kitchen.  
  
"Get up and lets move. We just got an invite to crash the mansion."  
  
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A/N: There you have it, chapter 2. I warned you that it would be short XP Well, please R&R. When and if you do review...keep in mind that this is a story written out of pure bordom when I reach a writers block in my Collision Course story. 


	3. What Lurks in Shadow

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. Yup, I own zip.  
  
Summary: When Lance convinces the Brotherhood to take up Kitty's offer, what misfortune waits for them?  
  
A/N: Ok, this is a longer chapter where the plot really starts to shine through. I'm still open to future chapter ideas too! So, without further adue, here's Chapter 3!  
  
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What Lurks in Shadow  
  
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Pietro glanced up half-heartedly at Lance, looking as if he might actually care had there been something important going on there. New x-jet, one of Logan's custom bikes... something that they could actually wreck.  
  
"Um, hmmm...Us crash the mansion...or us tag alone so you can crash AT the mansion with a certain Kitty."  
  
He growled, turning back to the tv. Lance tugged the corner of his mouth up in a silent snarl.  
  
"Watch it Maximoff."  
  
Pietro didn't even bother to glance back at him.  
  
"Ooooo...I'm shakin' Lance, I really am, see?"  
  
He carelessly tossed his hand over the side of the couch, twisting his wrist first to as far right as it would go, then repeated it as he changed direction to left. Todd's face appeared from the doorway to the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, why do you want us to come all a sudden, yo?"  
  
From Behind Todd, Freddy's face barely appeared, he was too intent on seeing what was at the very back of the refridgerator to tear his eyes away for too long.  
  
"Yeah, little Lance suddenly afraid to go outside all by hims self?"  
  
The larger teen taunted in a babyish voice...the kind that would be expected out of a girl baby-talking to a kitten or puppy. Todd's face disappeared, a small 'thump' was heard as he hit the floor in laughter. Lance growled audibly.  
  
"I wouldn't be laughin' Todd. I seem to know a certain someone who wants his body guards with him during the day."  
  
Todd's face quickly reappeared in the doorway, and angery scowl pasted on his face.  
  
"I don't see you pick pocketing. Tons of people remember my face, yo, it's a serious health hazard to go out there in daylight alone when every other sane person is awake!"  
  
"Well none of you are sane then. But...if I'm just now noticing then your starting to rub off on me."  
  
An angery feminine voice snarled from the stairs as Wanda made her way down them. She had forced herself to get back up, sleep had abandoned her until tonight. Todd gave a small smile.  
  
"Being insane is more fun than bein' sane though, sugarplum."  
  
Wanda snarled again, giving Todd a look of certain death should he utter such a pet name again. Todd slowly slipped out of view into the kitchen, leaving only Freddy stuffing his face.  
  
"Well...I never knew the Brotherhood would pass up an oppertunity to go crash the mansion...but I guess I can go alone."  
  
Lance said casually, picking up his discarded keys to the jeep off of a small coffee table. Wanda gave him a testing look.  
  
"Crash the mansion? How the hell did we get invited to crash the mansion."  
  
Lance puffed out his chest a little.  
  
"Well Wanda...you have my charming personality to thank for that..."  
  
"Oh, all mighty King of Fantasy Land, how dare I have not thought of that first...for charm is simply radiating off you. Ha. Hate to break your heart, but you've got about as much charm as a fly."  
  
When she noticed Todd's face appear in the doorway at the mention of a fly, she sighed, shaking her head.  
  
"Or a certain Toad... We'll go crash the mansion, if anything it will keep me from dealing with alla you today."  
  
Wanda scoffed, walking past Lance and standing in the doorway. Todd was making his way through the main room, as was Freddy, but Pietro was still planted to the couch.   
  
"Whatsa matter Pietro...not enough Moutain Dew this morning?"  
  
Wanda hissed, looking back at her brother. Pietro tilted his head backwards so that he saw the group standing in the doorway and waiting for him.  
  
"Someone bought 'caffine free' again. Don't you notice the extra gold on the bottle!? And the big words 'Caffine FREE'!?"  
  
"I'm sure they will have plenty at the mansion, oh brother of mine. Now get over here before I have too..."  
  
She was stopped short, Pietro standing right in front of her.  
  
"Fine, I'll go. But only for the Mountain Dew..."  
  
Pietro grumbled.  
  
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"Hey...come on! You guys go through zis every morning!"  
  
Kurt pleaded as he, Jamie and Bobby were mercilessly backed into a corner by the mob of anger and drowsy students. Rogue was now their apparent leader.  
  
"Say yours prayers, fuzzy."  
  
She growled. She was still dressed in her black pajama pants and a black and blue tank top with skull and flame designs. Kurt held his hands out in front of him as if desperately trying to create of force field.  
  
"Please Rogue! You knew 'dat it vould be an extra special vake-up call for summer!"  
  
"Just when ah thought your excuses couldn't get any worse..."  
  
She made a lung for Kurt, Jamie and Bobby had taken refuge behind the demonic looking teen to deal with his own relative. Kurt ducked, and Rogue ended up pouncing on Bobby. The ice maker let out a surprised yelp, and quickly scrambled away from her and further into the corner. Rogue made a sharp turn, leaping at Kurt again. He teleported back into the corner, leaving Rogue to crash into the group she was leading. Quickly grabbing Jamie and Bobby, Kurt teleported them outside the mansion.  
  
From her window on the second story, Kitty looked out over the mansion ground towards the front gate, waiting hopefully for any sign of Lance's hunter green jeep. Her attention was only stolen away momentarily by the three boys appearances into the front ground. She shook her head a little and looked back at her alarm clock. She was getting worried, it had been and hour already, and Lance was never later than he had to be when it came to visiting Kitty.  
  
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Miandering through the twisting roads, a small group of black clad men walked side by side. Each had an earpiece in one ear, and wore impossibly dark sunglasses. Hidden under their jackets were dart guns, and under their shirt, bullet proof vests. They were agents, sent to monitor and capture mutants who openly exposed themselves. So far the day had been peaceful and quiet, but never once did they let their guard down. It was rumored that a small gang of mutants often traveled through the road they currently walked down, and they weren't about to miss the oppertunity to try and capture a few. If they were lucky a couple might even put up enough of a fight to allow them to kill it. Either way, they didn't care. Muties were nothing but insects to them, a branch of creature that tried to call themselves humans and claim that they were superior. Fat chance of that. The rumble of an approaching vehicle sent them scattering into the bushes on either side, dart guns in hand and ready to open fire...   
  
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The hunter green jeep sped down the dust road that lead to the Brotherhood, leaving a smokescreen behind them. Lance was in the driver seat, and by force over shotgun call, Wanda was in the passenger side seat with a pissed looking Pietro behind her, sitting as far away from Todd and Freddy as possible. Lance was pushing the jeep to its limits, at points hitting more bushes than road, making Wanda glare at him.  
  
"Hey lover boy, watch the road a little better, will ya?"  
  
Lance gave an evil smirk.  
  
"My jeep, I'm in control."  
  
He ducked suddenly as a hex bolt shot out at him. He didn't even look over, but pulled the jeep back onto the road.  
  
"Yes Wanda."  
  
He said quickly, slowing it down a little. Without warning, his hand shot up to his neck, and he pulled out a strange, three needled object.  
  
"What the hell is that?"  
  
Wanda demanded, but the question fell on a deaf ear. Lances eyes rols back into his head and he fell forward into the steering wheel. The jeep came to a swerving hault when it hit a tree as Lance passed out. Todd had unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to spring off to the side. He already knew what those darts meant, Mutant Control was near. But instead of leaping out as planned, he was flung from the backseat and into the trees without much notice from the others, they were all looking back at a small group of black clad men packing tranquilizer guns and pistols...  
  
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A/N: ooooo...cliffy. I'm not real good at intentional cliffies, but here you go. Please R&R! I really want to know what you think so far! And for the people who have reviewed already, thanks so much!  
  
~Dragonmistriss 


	4. Disaster

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men in any way. Nope, sad...isn't it?  
  
Summary: In an attempt to save themselves, the Brotherhood fights back against the Mutant Control agents trying to take them captive. But things look bleak and Todd is the only one that seems to have gotten away....  
  
A/N: Ok, chappy 4, YAY! It is lacking all form of X-Men team influence..they will be drug into the story later... That said, I give you Chapter 4: Disaster  
  
Oh, one final word of warning. Thoughts and P.O.V's are rapidly changing in this chapter. I'm sorry if I loose you, but I tried to make it as easy to read and flowing as possible.  
  
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Chapter 4: Disaster  
  
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No one moved for a long moment, they were all to shocked to do much else than stare at the agents as they continued advancing. The small group only had six black clad men, yet to the young mutants surprise, five held back and just one balding, slightly bulking agent moved forward to take Lance...that is when Pietro snapped out of his trance. Before the nearest agent could blink, he was falling to the ground, pushed by an unseen force. He caught himself, springing back to his feet with surprising grace for a man of his size. Pietro was standing in front of the driver door of the jeep, leaning on it causually.  
  
"Oops."  
  
He snickered sarcastically, before bolting at the man again. The agent hit the ground again, and the back ups opened fire with more darts. Pietro dodged every one of the darts with ease, never missing a beat as he raced around the small group. The agents seemed taken aback as they were slowly lifted from the ground and suspended in the air. One agent, obviously younger and less experienced than the others, panicked and loaded his pistol, firing it down multiple times in one spot. The first two shots met nothing but dirt and rock, but the third shot met flesh. Pietro yelped out in pain as the bullet seered into his calf, and he skidded to a hault on his side, clutching his bleeding leg. The balding agent on the front lines made a move to shoot Pietro again with a dart, but was sent flying through the air by Freddy.  
  
Pietro sat on the ground, his eyes clenched shut and grinding his teeth to keep from crying out again. 'StupidstupidstupidSTUPID!' He shouted at himself in his mind as quickly as he could. 'You'd think I'd learn to zig zag when I'm doing that...straight lines are EVIL!' Though he couldn't feel them, hot tears swelled on the rims of his eyes. The pain was unbelievable...and it was just one little bullet. 'One little bullet my ass.' Pietro scoffed at himself, for it felt more like someone had just set a cherry bomb off in his calf. He was vaugly aware of his sisters encoraging voice, and his own vunerable state. He didn't move at his sisters persistant urgings and attempts to get him up. He didn't want to move at all.  
  
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Getting up from the bushes he had fallen in, Barson rubbed his hairless scalp gently. It had been like getting hit with a ton of bricks to get punched by the largest mutant in the group. He staggered back to his feet, to see that the female mutant had run over to the speed demons side and was trying to help him get up. The big mutant, the one that had hit him, was moving towards the rest of the agents. Barson shouted a gruff warning, but it was too late. The rookie agent, Haris, was too panicky to think straight. What were they teaching the new guys in training? How to ruin a perfect plan? Barson had given them strict orders not to shoot the mutants with bullets, the boss wanted them alive. But that order hadn't stopped Haris from damaging the speed demon and it wasn't about to stop him from shooting at the massive teen either.  
  
Freddy had a fierce snarl pasted on his face. He reached out, picking up on of the agents in his hands and squeezing. The agent screamed out in pain, being crushed to death. Once again, his anger was in control, and Freddy only smirked at the screams. He felt the bullets shot at him from the terror stricken agent hit him, but they did little more than make bruised dents in his skin because the agent was moving rapidly backwards. Had it been at point blank...they might have done quite a bit more damage. He felt things like bee stings in his wrists, and looked down. The dying agent had manuevered his dart gun so that he could fire off three darts into Freddy's wrist. Point blank. Freddy grimaced, feeling the drug begin to spiral into his system, his mind began to blur as did his vision. But he stubbornly shook it off as best he could, finishing what he had started. He squeezed harder, heard and felt bones snap into too many pieces to count, and heard the last breathe the agent would ever exhale slip from his throat. Freddy dropped the dead body, stumbling backwards a little and holding his head in one bloody hand.   
  
To Haris, the monsterous mutant looked like an elephant that had just been darted, staggering around, fighting futily against a powerful drug. But that didn't sooth his panick any. There was still the very awake, if not pained, speed demon and the girl. He found himself wishing that the girl hadn't given herself away, then he would still be nice and safe back in the bushes...not out here looking death in the face.  
  
Freddy stumbled backwards again, hitting the jeep and coming to a hault. He couldn't fight it any longer, the stuff was too powerful. He sank down to his knees, glancing over at the twins with the last of his blurring vision.   
  
"Guys...sorry. I-I tried..."  
  
He muttered as he fell forward, passing into an unconcious state. His mind still fought the drug, but it was a loosing battle as well.  
  
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Wanda glared over at Haris and the remaining three agents in front of him. Her eyes were dangerous, her hands began to glow as she powered up with a hex bolt in each hand.  
  
"Think it's fun to pick on mutants, you human freaks? Well, I can play that game. Here...."  
  
She threw a hex bolt at Barson, he had been rushing over to try and get a dart into Pietro. The hex bolt hit him in the chest, but instead of a scream it came out a gargle.   
  
"That how you want to play this game? Cause believe me...I have no problem with it..."  
  
Barson hadn't seen it coming, he thought the girl was focused on the others. But he had been wrong...dead wrong. After the bolt hit him, he couldn't feel anything at all, but he couldn't take in a breathe either. He fell face first into the dirt, his eyes rolling bakc into his head. 'This was pure hell', he thought in a panic. He knew he was dead...but why could he still think? But slowly a cold darkness slipped over his mind, consuming him into the afterlife.   
  
Haris and the other three agents stared over at their dead squad leader, all looking terrified. This time, Haris, was not the one to fire the bullet, it was the second in command, Thymes.   
  
"Goddammit! Don't gawk, shoot!"  
  
Thymes shouted out, firing a round off at Wanda. The girl exploded most bullets with her powers before they reached her, but she missed a few that grazed her sides and her upper arm. She fired another hex bolt at the dwindling team, but they were ready and dove out of the way. They had time now to shoot, while her arms were extended and she was trying to stop the hex bolt and fire off a new one. Thymes fired twice, missing once, catching her on the side of the throat the second. Haris brought the finishing shot, hitting Wanda in the collar bone. There was the sharp sound of metal meeting bone, and bone giving way to metal, then Wanda fell out of veiw in the dust and smoke created by the rapid fire of darts. When all cleared, Thymes stepped forward, looking at Wanda. Darts had mostly hit her clothes and went no further than the fabric, but there were plenty of darts in her arms and neck, so he smiled with satisfaction. Where her collar bone was, small splinters of bone stuck out. The bullet had broken it, possible shattered, though Thymes doubted it highly.  
  
"Sorry...your the only freak around here."  
  
He taunted her before turning to the others. He then looked around, catching a glimpse of Pietro, still sitting and grimacing. His smile shifted to a smirk. The only thing better than seeing mutants experimented on was seeing them in pain. Haris made a move to shoot a dart at Pietro, but Thymes grabbed the gun.  
  
"Let him suffer...he's not going anywhere."  
  
Haris gave him a bewildered look, but didn't have an oppertunity to retaliate.  
  
"Radio for the van...make that two vans..."  
  
Thymes added almost sadly as he looked at the bodies of their fallen comrades.  
  
"Scan the area, make sure we didn't miss any. If you find one, dart it if it gives you trouble. If it doesn't show a sign of mutantion, leave it. We've made enough noise that there will no doubt be neighborhood kids lurking around to see whats going on."  
  
Haris nodded, grabbing the radio off his belt and requesting two of their vans. The others two headed off into the trees. Haris finished giving the van drivers their position, and walked over to were Thymes stood behind Pietro.  
  
"Your all alone, mutie. Feeling scared."  
  
Pietro didn't respond for a long minute. They had lost...how could they loose to mere normals? His thought and bitterness were cut short as he lurcked forward, shoved by the heavy boot Thymes wore.  
  
"Well, let me tell you something mutie...you should be scared. This is gonna be the last you ever see of the outside world. Ain't that a comforting thought?"  
  
Thymes wore a maddened smirk on his face, and Haris hung back for a minute. If Barson were still here, Thymes would have gotten hit in the back of the head by a fist. Barson let the defeated mutants hold some level of dignity when they were captured, he still saw them as humans that needed a cure. But Thymes...Thymes was relentless in disgracing this mutant, and rubbing his defeat in his face.   
  
Pietro just closed his eyes, letting his face rest in the dirt for a minute.  
  
"Fuck off bastard."  
  
He snarled when Thymes pressed down on his back harder with his already heavy boot. The comment only made Thymes more determined to break his spirit. He was playing mind games, a general idea of what a free speed demon might fear most was set firmly in his mind.  
  
"Who can guess how long you'll survive...strapped down to a medical table to have a needle stuck in every vein in your body and then thrown into a small cage of metal bars and shackled all day...no place to run or hide. If you put up too big of a fight...we might just get to cut off your legs... And then you'll die with people watching you and just waiting until they can autopsy your corpse. And maybe you'll be lucky enough to watch your friends die first...then you'll be all alone."  
  
Pietro's eyes were opened nervously. Shackled...held down...in a cage... cut off his legs...his thoughts buzzed around those main four. His claustriphobic nature made him cringe noticably. Thyme's only gave a heartless snicker as the van pulled up.  
  
"Load 'em in the van."  
  
Pietro put up little struggle, he mostly cursed at them, kicking with his good leg occasionally just to show that he hadn't been broken yet. He wouldn't let them break him...not now or ever.  
  
  
  
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Todd stirred from where he was, groaning softly and rubbing his head. He looked around, nearly falling off the branch he was barely resting on. He tried to move, but winced. Slowly, he looked down to see his wrist was at an impossible angle, as was his opposite shoulder, which was dislocated. He groaned again, looking down to see two of the black clad men walk right under him. He shook his head a little. 'What happened?' He found himself asking. He remembered driving to the X-geeks...then Lance passed out and...Mutant Control came. Slowly, Todd got up, climbing up higher into the tree using only one arm. As he did, he felt a pain in his chest, which was a good sign of a broken rib or two. When he finally got high enough, he looked to where he had been before hitting the tree.   
  
There was no sign of Lance's jeep, two black vans were in it's place. His eyes widened in horror when he saw them load Wanda and a struggling Pietro into on of the vans, they had obviously already loaded Fred and Lance in there. He tried to think straight, what to do...what to do...but he drew up a blank. He saw the same two agents pass under the tree he was in, and after a few minutes both got into the front of the vans and drove off. Todd slowly climbed back down the tree, grimacing when stray branches hit his arm. After what seemed an eternity, but was more like half an hour of ginger climbing, he reached the ground and looked around. 'Ok Einstein...what now?' He thought. He couldn't go to a hospital, he didn't have the money; and he could go after the vans because that'd only get him caught. There was only oone place he could go..though he knew better than to think himself even remotely welcome there.  
  
Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters....here he came.  
  
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A/N: So, what'd you think? I hope you guys liked it! I know I made Pietro sound a little wimpy...but when you think about it, for someone who runs alot, anything that happens to their legs is gonna hurt like hell. That's how I saw it anyway...*rambles on* er...oop ^.^' Well, please review! The next chapter is mostly about the X-Men and Todd. 


	5. Wounded Wanderings

Disclaimer: *rambles on* Don't own anything X-Men. I DO, however, own Haris and Thymes...who's appearances will be more fully detailed next chapter. I also mention the the movie 'Titanic', the soundtrack to the movie and use a few lyrics from the song 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion. I own neither the movie, soundtrack, or the song, so don't sue me.  
  
Summary: Todd makes his way painfully to Xavier's to get help, will the X-Men exile him, or help him?  
  
A/N: *half asleep* annoying small child has been tampering with my computer! I'm sorry if in my rereading I missed a sentence that stops in the middle and starts into a different paragraph. -.-' Guess I haven't already made it clear that I hate small children, huh? Oh, and the way I have Kurt talking about Titanic is not my view...it's based on a true thing that happened to my cousins when my family watched it. Weee...I'm on a roll with this story!  
  
I would like to send a special thanks out to Mocla, thanks so much for your loyal reviews! And don't worry, chapters should keep coming at least two chaps or more a week!  
  
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Wounded Wanderings  
  
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Todd limped through the scarce ground cover, the holes in the knees of his jeans had stretched considerably to now reach down to his ankles. He sighed, thinking that he might as well have worn short. His legs were all cut up from the thorns of wild blackberry bushes and the occasional concealed sharp stick. Blood trickled down to his shoes, leaving from his knees down nothing but red. Now on the ground he held his arm to him at his stomach, careful not to allow anything collide with either his dislocated shoulder or broken wrist. But these injuries were making him move slowly, unable to leap unless he wanted to experience blinding pain.   
  
Hours had past since he had started moving in the direction of the Institute. He hadn't realized just how far nearly 12 miles was on foot, without leaping. By this time it was past noon, by the position of the sun, Todd guessed maybe closer to 2 p.m. It was blistering hot outside, not the forcasted cloudy with a 39% chance of rain like the weather channel had said. His attention was grabbed by the sound of running water, and he tried to move a little more quickly. Pushing past sapling oak and maple trees, he finally spotted the source of the noise. A small waterfall that lead into a stream. He edged closer, sitting down under the shade of a willow tree and scooping up a handful of water to drink. At this point he didn't care if it was acid water, he would drink it anyway. After a few 'less-than-refreshing' handfuls of water, he looked down at his lower legs, caked in crimson. He debated about washing the dried blood off, but decided strongly against it. That would only make him bleed more, something he most certainly didn't need to happen. He leaned back into the rough bark of the aging tree, closing his eyes briefly. He wanted to sleep so badly. His head was throbbing, he was broken and bruised and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark corner where no one could or would find him and sleep. He forced his eyes open again. No, he couldn't sleep yet. The faster he could get to Xavier's the faster he could get help...or so he hoped. Prying himself off the ground, Todd took a minute to just stand, getting his weakened legs ready to walk again. He looked around at the difference in the shadows since when he had sat down.  
  
"Shit..."  
  
He muttered disbelievingly. At least an hour or more had past, and it would soon be getting dark. Heaving a sigh, he started off again.  
  
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Rogue walked into Kitty's room without knocking, she knew Kitty wouldn't mind. And even if the preppy teen did care, Rogue sure didn't. She seemed to remember a certain valley girl bursting into her room all the time to sob about some homework or something stupid like that. To the goths surprise, the room was dark. She took a step further in, to see Kitty still sitting faithfully by the window. But she was far from still, her shoulders bobbed in time with sobs. Rogue rolled her eyes, pausing to stare at the ceiling. Not again.   
  
"Hey, whats wrong Kitty?"  
  
Rogue asked in her best 'I'm worried about you...you sure your ok?' voice that she could muster at the moment. Kitty shook her head, never averting her eyes from the window.  
  
"He was supposed to be here hours ago. Something, like, totally must have happened to him Rogue! I can't reach him by phone or anything!"  
  
She sobbed, sniffling now and then before letting her hand search for the box of tissues she had drug over to the window sill. Rogue narrowed her eyes a little.  
  
"You invited Lance over?"  
  
"Like...yeah. We haven't seen eachother for a whole day already!"  
  
"Why did Ah even bother askin'..."  
  
Rogue scoffed somewhat more harshly than she intended. Deep down, even though Kitty was a friend of hers, she hated the valley girl. She was jealous of her...she could touch the one she loved...Rogue couldn't. And everytime she talked about Lance it just made Rogue loath her more. Kitty gave her a deeply hurt look.  
  
"Rogue! This could be, like, serious and your not helping any! Leave..."  
  
The last word was barely whispered, but the requested action was made clear when she pointed harshly to the door Rogue had come in. Fuming, Rogue got up and stalked out, slamming the door closed behind her. Kitty didn't seem to care, sending her glance over to the phone.  
  
"Oh Lance...what's going on? Don't you love me anymore?"  
  
She sobbed before burying her head into her arms and crying.   
  
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The dinner call rang through the mansion, but most of the student were already near the kitchen. The food Storm had prepared looked delicious, and they sat down and started to eat. They were only interupted when Kurt, Bobby, and Jamie crept into the kitchen. Kurt gave a sheepish smirk, pressing his thumb against his palm and holding up his two fingers in what could be described as almost a peace sign.  
  
"Ve come in peace...."  
  
Kurt said, taking another step to get harder glares from the rest of the students.  
  
"And...to prove it....no vake-up calls tomorrow!"  
  
The glares lessened, Rahne and Sam even returned to eating. There were mutters coming from the older students, and finally a nod from Scott.  
  
"Fine, have a seat."  
  
Kurt grinned wildly, and in one leap made it from the doorway to his seat and nearly began eating no more than a second later. Bobby and Jamie were quick to follow him.   
  
In the midst of stuffing his face, Kurt looked around the table and noticed that Kitty's usual place was empty. He gulped down the mouthful of spagetti, tilting his head curiously. It wasn't like Kitty to be late for anything.  
  
"Vhere is Katzchen?"  
  
Suddenly everything was quiet, all the students turned and looked to Kitty's empty seat. No one said anything, but all were obviously embarrassed by not having realized she was missing before. Before anyone could say anything, Kurt got up.  
  
"I'll go find 'er..."  
  
He glanced over at Jamie who was taking the oppertunity of lacking attention to slowly reach over to Kurt's plate to take the last sweet roll in sight. His wrist was suddenly grabbed by a strange hand. He looked up at Kurt, giving his best innocent smirk.  
  
"And if you eat the roll, you vill meet your doom."  
  
With that made clear, Kurt teleported away.  
  
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Kurt reappeared outside Kitty's door, and was about to knock before a strange sound made him pause. Music, depressing and sad music. He pressed his ear against the door, and was able to catch a few words.  
  
"Near, far, where ever you are.  
  
I believe that the heart does go on."  
  
Kurt nearly gagged right there. It was Kitty's 'Titanic' soundtrack. He hated movies that could somehow make an entire room full of girls suddenly burst out in tear, while the guys laughed at the sickening love scene and managed to get smacked in the face with a pillow to make them shut up. 'Titanic' had proven to be the worst movie to have this effect...the longest too. But this stumped Kurt. Kitty only listened to her 'Titanic' soundtrack when she wanted to cry. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her exit her room all day. He had seen her looking out the window, but never actually outside. He proceeded to gently knock on the door, and got a sob as a response. Slowly turning the knob and peeking inside, he was met by pitch blackness. It was dark outside, and yet Kitty had not turned on her lights. The only light came from the soft glow of the lit console on her stereo. He then saw her in that soft multicolored glow, still beside the window and sobbing away. He took a cautious step inside.  
  
"Katzchen? Katzchen...vhat's ze matter?"  
  
He said softly as he stepped continually closer to her. His words got a sobbed response again, but this time Kitty spoke.  
  
"It's Lance...he said he'd come down this morning, but he never showed up! And I can't reach him either! Fuzzy, what if something happened? What if he doesn't love me anymore."  
  
Kurt had no time to move before Kitty lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and crying on his shoulder. Kurt's hands were out at his side, but slowly he relaxed and returned the embrace.   
  
"Keety, I'm sure zat 'e is alright. You know how ze rest of ze Brotherhood can get about you two being together..."  
  
Kitty nodded slightly, but still sobbed. Kurt could feel his fur beginning to mat, though his image inducer hid it.  
  
"Come on, everyone is vorried about you downstairs."  
  
She only nodded again, her sobs were lessening though. Kurt walked slowly, Kitty refusing to let go of his neck. He didn't want to teleport...he was tired from doing that all day. So, they slowly made there way towards the stairs.  
  
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Todd moved slowly through the darkness, weary and cursing. He had found the way he had first come to the institute, and looked at the wall he had leapt over and cursed again. He crouched low to the ground, and jumped. He sailed over the wall, but couldn't steady his landing with either of his arms, so he skidded across the ground on his back. He grimaced, whimpering slightly. 'Goody, more cuts to add to my collection. This day keeps getting better and better...' He snarled in his mind, slowly getting up and looking around. The front door...which way had it been. He took another step, and suddenly a buzzing alarm started going off. His eyes went wide with fear. The security system...he had forgotten all about it. Metal object suddenly rose from the ground, laser beams began firing at him from every angle. He started to run, whether in the right direction or not, he didn't care.   
  
Inside the mansion, Logan had shot out of his seat and looked at all the student.   
  
"Intruder. Stay put, alla you. Cyclops, Rogue, Spyke...be ready incase I call for back up."  
  
He snarled out the orders, Scott, Evan, and Rogue nodded, though they knew there was a slim to none chance that Logan would ever request back up. There were hurried mutters from the table as Storm calmly walked outside. She looked down into the front yard, recognizing the terrified form almost instantly. Todd Tolansky, the Toad. But from the way he was moving and not leaping gave her the instant impression that something was wrong with him. She whirled around, looking to the worried faces of the younger student and smiling.  
  
"Do not worry too much, it is someone we have dealt with before."  
  
She said before she too ran downstairs to try and catch Logan...who would no doubt try to kill Todd.   
  
Todd continued to clumbsily dodge the lasers, but he bore the scars of them. A few patched of skin were charred, and with every step he whimpered. Suddenly the lasers stopped, and he sunk down to his knees in pain. There was no way anyone could pay him enough to do this again. He heard a twig snap and he froze. Someone was out there...but where he didn't know. His question was quickly answered by the sound of SNIKT and an orange and black clad Logan leaping at him. Todd's eyes widened more than they had ever been.  
  
"YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"  
  
Came forth a less than masculine screech as Todd closed his eyes tightly. Throwing himself to his side and holding the arm with the broken wrist in front of him for a sense of shielding himself. But Logan never attacked, and Todd noticed that there was a sense of calm around him. He slowly opened his eyes to see Storm standing over him and holding her cloak so that he was hidden from Logan's view.  
  
"Logan, stop this senseless attack of yours."  
  
Storm said in what could have been considered an angery voice, though she was rarely angery. Logan withdrew his claws, looking at the weather witch.  
  
"What's the idea Ororo?"  
  
"In your rush, you failed to see who you nearly impaled..."  
  
Todd looked at the cloak to see three rip marks, his eyes widening a little again. He was quivering now, consumed by fear, surprise, and uncertainty. He suddenly wished he hadn't come here, he wanted to be back at the boarding house. But it was too late now, Storm slowly withdrew her cloak to reveal Todd laying on the ground, arm still held in front of him to protect himself. He heard Logan growl, and closed his eyes again.  
  
"What are you doin' here Toad?"  
  
The metal man snarled. Todd quivered a little, but felt himself being lifted off the ground. He opened his eyes to see the Storm was holding him gently in her arms.  
  
"Logan, he is severely injured. Questions will have to wait."  
  
Logan growled again.   
  
"'Ro, he might just be part of a trap, questions need to be answered now."  
  
Storm gave Logan a dangerous glare, rising both herself and the injured teen cradled in her arms into the air.  
  
"Do not question maternal instincts, Logan."  
  
And without waiting for a reply, she brought both to the doorway of the Institute, leaving Logan standing in the front yard alone.  
  
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Kurt had finally mastered how to maneuver both himself and Kitty down the stairs so that Kitty wouldn't strangle him. They had just reached the bottom of the staircase when a large gust of wind erupted through the door, flinging them open. Now Kitty's face was no longer buried in Kurt's shoulder, but her full attention was on the door. Both gasped when they saw Storm carrying a familiar enemy inside.   
  
"Storm! How did you manage to capture a Brotherhood member?"  
  
Kurt asked excitedly. Storm looked at the normally blue mutant and shook her head.  
  
"He is not a captive, Kurt. Of why he is here, I do not kn...."  
  
Storm was cut off when Kitty lunged forward and grabbed Todd's shoulder's roughly. He let out a yelp and tried to struggle out of her grip.  
  
"Not that shoulder! NOT THAT SHOULDER!"  
  
Kitty would have relentlessly tightened her grip if Kurt hadn't pulled her back away from the quivering teen. Kurt had noticed long before Kitty the full extent of Todd's injuries, and now that she was back away from him, so did Kitty.  
  
"Oh my God...like, what happened? Where's Lance? What did you do!"  
  
She shouted, but Kurt restrained her. Todd glanced over at Kitty, his dull yellow-green eyes looked duller than ever.  
  
"I didn't do nothing, yo. Mutant Control jumped us, but they missed me. Lance 'n the others...their captured. I saw 'em myself."  
  
Kitty's swollen and red eyes waned under the surge of new tears.  
  
"Lance is...captured...."  
  
She said slowly, in disbelief. Todd nodded slightly, his eyes sliding shut from exhaustion. Storm's features were void of most emotion, and she hadn't moved. She was allowing the Professor to listen to what she was hearing.  
  
~Professor...~  
  
~I know Storm, get him down to the med wing for treatment. We'll discuss this later. It seems that he went through a great deal just to get here. We are fortunate that he came to us, I doubt Magnus would give him proper treatment.~  
  
Ororo nodded to the voice unheard by the others, turning without another word to go to the med wing. She heard Kurt get Kitty to shuffle a step forward, and paused.   
  
"Todd need immediate help...tell Logan to come down to the hospital wing to reset Mr. Tolansky's shoulder..."  
  
With a soft flutter of her cape, she wisked herself downstairs.  
  
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A/N: Well, there was chapter 5! The longest chapter in this story so far! How did you like it? *hint hint* That wonderful lilac button would be a helpful way of letting me know what you think...  
  
OK, next chapter deals with the rest of the brotherhood (mostly Pietro, since he is the only one still awake...)and their trip to the secret labs. Haris and Thymes characters will be better brought out as well.  
  
Next Chapter: Journey to Living Hell 


	6. Journey to Living Hell

Disclaimer: I don't own anything X-Men. I do, however, own Thymes and Haris.  
  
Summary: The journey to the labs is like going through the levels down to the center of hell...  
  
A/N: Well, here we go with chapter 6. It will mostly from Pietro's P.O.V, but Lance or Freddy might or might not wake up. I haven't decided yet O.o Wanda won't be awake until the next brotherhood chapter, I can tell you that much.   
  
There is one warning, I mention mentally disabled, blind, deaf and mute people in what may seem to a few a 'harsh, hateful' way. Let it be known that I have absolutely NOTHING against anyone with any of those problems, and there is no insult meant in any way! I needed a strong angle to get a strong message across, and I found it through the mention of those four. I am deeply sorry if I offend anyone, but please do not take any of it personally. Again, I apologize in advance if you think you might be offended but read it anyway. Though it really isn't as bad as I'm making it sound, please understand that I mean none of it personally.   
  
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Journey to Living Hell  
  
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Pietro sat in the back of the cramped black van. His eyes slid in and out of focus, his mind screamed at him to sleep the pain away. He shook his head a little to keep himself awake. He couldn't sleep now, who knew what might happen then. He had given up struggling against the handcuffs and linked anklets he wore...but there was a thick collar around his neck that kept him pinned to the interior side of the van as well. Around every place where he was restrained rest a ring of blood where he had struggled enough to make his bonds cut through his skin. He glanced over at the others. Wanda's hands had been imprisoned in a strange, unheard of metal to keep her from hexing anyone else. Freddy they had shackled so highly that he was enveloped in a cocoon of chains. But it was Lance that Pietro's eyes drifted to most often.  
  
Ever since they had left and started driving, one of the agents had made his way back to Lance and injected him with some ebony tinted liquid. Pietro didn't have a clue what it was, and didn't care to find out either. On his way back to the front, the same agent would always inject Wanda with another dose of tranquilizers. Pietro's eyes always flared up with anger when the agent did so.   
  
Even though for most of his life he hadn't known Wanda, and when she finally found him, he had good reason to fear her; deep in his heart he wanted to make up for all the missed time. And to see her constantly drugged for purposes unknown to him made him suspicious and enraged. His rage came from the knowledge that he could do nothing to help her if anything might happen. He cringed noticeably, pushing the thought away. He had just went with the flow and let their father send her away without a word of support for Wanda...maybe he had done the wrong thing...maybe she was worse off for him not speaking up for her like a real brother should have.  
  
The hours drug on, the windowless hellhole they were held in gave Pietro no hint to where they were. He stared down at the shackles that bound him, and started his struggle anew. He took it easy as far as the collar grappling with his throat though, he didn't want to slice his own jugular. To no avail, the struggle only lead to him feeling even more exhausted and drained. He watched as blood made its way down the front of his hand, between his middle and ring finger and finally forming a droplet at the end of his ring finger and falling to the floor.   
  
The syringe-carrying agent hadn't returned for a record amount of time, though Wanda was no where near stirring from her drug-induced sleep. Neither was Freddy, the agent he killed must have been packing some sort of extra strength tranquilizers. Lance, on the other hand, had been muttering in his sleep for the past half-hour or so. Pietro had been forced to lash out at him when he began muttering to loudly, the last thing he needed were agents coming back here. As long as they all stayed up in the front of the van and let him keep an eye on his fellow mutants, Pietro could care less. His attention was grabbed by Lance's eyes opening with a wide, confused and fearful look. He tried to sit up, but was held at a lounging angle to the wall by a mesh net. Shackled held his ankles in their grip, a semi short chain ended in the middle of the floor. Lance drew his knees up as far as he could, then looked to Pietro.  
  
"Welcome to the chariot to hell."  
  
Pietro scoffed irritably. The pain in his calf was slowly creeping up his leg and was now in control of the right side of his body. Lance looked at him, blinking a few times to try and remember why they were here and what was going on.   
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You got to take the easy way out and play 'Sleeping Beauty' through the entire battle with the Mutant Control agents. Aren't you a lucky one?"  
  
Lance glared at Pietro, feeling that this was far from the right time to start arguing. Pietro turned his attention back to the small opening the black clad agent usually came through. Sure enough, there was the same agent holding a few syringes. He looked down at Wanda, giving her a harsh kick that made her body lurk forward and connect with the interior wall before that chains snapped her back. Pietro gave an audible snarl, lunging forward against his bonds and looking the agent right in the eye. He ignored the screaming pain in his leg for the time being, baring his teeth at the agent.  
  
"Lay the fuck off her!"  
  
He growled, pulling with all his failing strength against the chains. The agent gave him a smirk, and kicked Wanda again, this time the chains didn't snap her back and she stayed at rest up against the wall. Pietro took a step back, daring the agent to come within his punching range. The agent did advance, but only struck Freddy in the side of the neck and gave the massive teen another dose of sleeping serum. He glanced over at Lance seeming dismayed that he had waken up, but went over and inserted a different syringe needle into his exposed arm, all thanks to the mesh net. Lance turned his head when the ebony liquid was injected.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!?"  
  
He growled, struggling against the metal net. The agent gave a wicked smirk.  
  
"Element serum...wonderful stuff. Keeps you muties in tune with natural elements from being able to control them temporarily. We're working on a permanent deletion serum...which is what we need you for."   
  
The agents smirk widened as he regarded Lance harshly and then turned and went back to the front of the van. After he had disappeared into the cloth covered opening, Lance glanced over at Pietro with a nervous, angry mixed look on his face. But he didn't meet Pietro's gaze...the speed demons blue eyes were fixed sadly on his sister.  
  
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Haris had had enough of listening to Thymes gloat about their victory. At 26, he had joined this 'control' team to keep the peace and find a cure for mutation. And he supposed that Barson had rubbed off on him. He wasn't a hard core mutant-hater...nor was he a bleeding heart mutant lover. He wanted to find a cure for these cursed beings, but more over he wanted to let them retain their human dignity. He had been raised in a mixed family...his father was black, his mother white. This not only gave him his deeply tanned looking skin and dark black hair, but a balanced outlook on both sides of the color world. He had been taught from a young age about slavery, and he found a stunning similarity to the mutant situation. And here he thought he had joined to be part of the solution...he had just helped enslave four kids.... Kids for God's sake.   
  
He shook his head, raising his hand and running it slowly through his medium length mop of raven hair. He looked over at the other three, laughing and celebrating. He didn't feel that there was anything to celebrate...they had just done something he swore he would never be a part of...something completely against his morals. When he heard one of the two agents that he didn't really know mention to Thyme's that the 'earth shaker' had waken up and the 'speed demon' could be easily controlled by what happened to his sister. Haris felt his heart drop when he heard this, though let none of his inner emotions show on his face. To his surprise, Thymes turned back to him.   
  
"Go ahead back and see your captives Rookie. And smile a little...this is your first capture."  
  
Thymes turned back to watching the road. Haris gave a convincing smile, and nodded.  
  
"Sure, I think I will."  
  
He got up and slowly walked back into the holding compartment. He chose to ignore the larger of all the mutants, feeling guilty. But it was when he saw the speed demon, sitting as far as his chain would allow and watching the girl with sorrow and hatred for the agent in his eyes that made Haris's heart shatter. he wasn't prepared to see that much raw emotion, and had to force himself to look over at Wanda.  
  
Her face was bruised horribly from where she had hit the interior wall, her wrists, upper arms, ankles and throat...everywhere they had a shackle around was bleeding and cut considerably deep into her flesh. Haris caught himself chewing on his lip and stopped. He noticed the speed junkie's gaze had shifted to him, and took a step back under the hateful and loathing gaze.  
  
"What do YOU want?"  
  
The speed demon snapped out, standing up and quickly shifting his weight to his left leg. Haris felt an even more noticeable shot of guilt...he had done that to the mutant...but he couldn't stop himself. He had panicked, and the gun had began thinking for him...  
  
"I-I..."  
  
He began to stammer, but Pietro had already sunk back down to a sitting position and was watching Wanda again.  
  
"Then get the fuck outta here...unless you don't think you've done enough damage in three hours."  
  
Pietro snarled. Haris knelt down, far away from stricking distance, next to Pietro.   
  
"Look, we're only trying to help find a cure for you...to make you normal...."  
  
Pietro shot him a glare and was on his feet again. Although he wobbled a little from weakening strength, and was covered in blood and chains, the speed demon still looked intimidating.   
  
"Oh, normal. Like you care how many of us you kill to make a few 'normal'. Guess what, this is normal for us! And if that's the way you see things, why don't you just kill all the retarded people, all the blind, deaf, or mute people too! God knows they're not normal either!"  
  
Pietro growled, looking down at Haris. Haris hung his head a little, closing his eyes and thinking about the words the young mutant had said. He was right...so right...'God, what have I done?' Haris thought, lifting his eyes again. Pietro stumbled a little, and quickly forced himself to sink back to the floor before any more damage was done to him. Haris looked out at him with eyes pleading for forgiveness...he had stepped so far out of bounds with his morals that he was lost and alone. But Pietro wouldn't give him the dignity of an understanding glance, he stubbornly watched Wanda. Haris looked again to the girl, and walked over to her slowly. He heard the sounds of chains straining, and looked back at Pietro. The white-haired boy lunged forward.  
  
"Get the fuck away from her!"  
  
Haris shook his head slowly, kneeling down and inserting a key into the chain pads on the floor. When all the chains were free from the floor, Haris gently picked Wanda up in his arms and stood up.  
  
Pietro's heart raced when Haris lifted Wanda from her resting-place. His eyes also filled with a level of fear. What the hell was he going to do with her? Pietro lunged forward again, giving an angry snarl. To his surprise, Haris walked towards him.  
  
"Sit down and get back against the wall."  
  
The black clad agent ordered. Pietro growled, but sat and scooted back. He couldn't risk insubordinate behavior while Wanda was at Haris's mercy. But the agent surprised him again when he sat Wanda down well within Pietro's chain reach, risking injury at the young mutants hand as he replaced the chain pads into the many empty slots that lined the floor of the van. Pietro considered rushing the agent and pummeling him. It wouldn't be that difficult, Haris was only 5'7" and looking to weigh around the area of 178 pounds. But he remained still; wondering just what trick the agent had up his sleeve.   
  
Once he had re-chained the girl, he backed up from Pietro's reach and watched as the white-haired mutant stared at him, confused.  
  
"A token of my apology..."  
  
Was all Haris said before slipping back through the opening to the front of the van.  
  
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Once back in the front of the van, Haris was met by Thymes wry grin. He had always been intimidated by Thymes...who was a good 6'3" and at least 261 pounds of muscle. He sat quickly back in his seat, trying to return the same grin.   
  
Thymes was older, 49 to be exact, with graying dark brown hair and failing eyes that were usually a light blue, but with the contacts he wore they were such a dark shade of brown they were almost black. He had been in the mutant hunting business for years now; he had killed his fair share of them, and was an avid mutie hater. Across his forehead he had a long scar that ran from just above his thick left eyebrow down to the right base of his heavy set jaws. Where he had gotten from was a mystery to everyone but him, and he wasn't about to tell. He had switched places with one of the other agents, but when they had stopped, Haris wasn't sure. Thymes let the grin fade, looking to Haris, whom he had dubbed 'Rookie'.  
  
"Pretty good catch for your first time, Rookie. Not bad."  
  
Haris gave a weak smile, but deep down he wanted nothing more than to go back into the holding cell and set the four mutants free. He was in a state of self-loathing. Thymes didn't notice the well masked emotions, and gave Haris a hearty pat on the back.  
  
"We'll make a mutie hunter out of you yet."  
  
Haris blocked out the rest of the short speech. is thoughts were on the white-haired mutants words. 'Kill them all too...God knows there not normal...' He shuddered, and much to his dismay Thymes noticed.  
  
"Whatsa matter Rookie? After hunt jitters?"  
  
Thymes asked, though without a hint of worry or concern. Haris smiled a little brighter and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, still brimming with adrenaline."  
  
He lied, but Thymes let it pass without a second thought.  
  
"We'll be at the dock in a few minutes, then we can get down to the real adrenaline booster of the spirit breaking process..."  
  
Thymes smirk was wicked again, his eyes gleamed.   
  
"Ever seen a mutant go from strong willed and thinking there still independent to being so docile and obedient that the very life is drained out of their eyes?"  
  
Haris shook his head, and Thymes smirk grew wider. Haris could swear he saw fangs within that smirk, so full of malice.  
  
"Good. Then it'll be just you an' me. I'll show you the ropes to breaking the freaks...I think I'll start with the speed one... He was the most stubborn of 'em all. You'd really notice the life draining out if HIS eyes..."  
  
Thymes twisted mind continued to unravel the plan, but Haris blocked him out. He didn't want to hear any of it, he didn't want to break anyone's spirit. He thought painfully to what he had just done minutes ago for the speed demon, returning the girl to his reach. He'd have to do a lot more than that to apologize for what he would be forced to do....  
  
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(A/N: oooo...you don't know how badly I wanted to end the chapter here and make it a cliffy...)  
  
Pietro crept forward, pulling Wanda up so that he cradled her upper body in his arms. He looked at her face, swelling and bruised, and wished now more than anything that he had convinced them to stay home. He could have so easily just let Lance go and get captured...but no, the prospect of caffeine packed Mountain Dew had been too great. Now look where it had got him, a one way ticket to a living hell. He listened to the forced laughter from a familiar agent up front, and knew that things would only worsen considerably when they got wherever they were going. He suddenly wished that Haris would come back, he had questions that he wanted answered.  
  
  
  
Lance had watched silently the entire time, feeling the serum he had been injected with begin to take effect. His head lulled forward, then back into the wall as sleep found him again.  
  
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The dock had been reached, the vans loaded onto the boat and almost two hours later, on an island in the middle of no where, the boat deposited the cargo. The vans surged through the sandy beaches with ease, and then came to a sudden halt. This was not the most fun experience for those wearing chains...to be suddenly jerked and thrown across the cell until the chains buckled and brought you sailing back. It wasn't long before Pietro heard keys jingling at the back door. He growled, instinctively pulling his sister closer to him. The doors opened, and Thymes evil face shown through.  
  
"Wakey wakey..."  
  
His voice taunted. He motioned behind him, and the three from his squad came forward. They unlocked Pietro's shackles from the slots they were in, and yanked him out. Pietro growled at them, pulling back. He wasn't going anywhere without his sister. Thymes muttered something, and Haris stepped inside the van, obviously to get Pietro to release his grip on Wanda. Pietro watched him, venom dripping from his gaze. Haris knelt down, grabbing Wanda under her shoulders and knees, giving a hard stare at Pietro. What he received in return was a punch in the face. He deserved it...he knew that. He looked at Pietro, hissing lowly so that just the white haired mutant could hear him.  
  
"Your all going to the same cell...don't fight just because of her...they'll use her against you."  
  
Pietro gave him a disbelieving stare, but the other agents took the opportunity to yank him out of the van but the chain connected to the collar around his neck. Pietro yelped out as he hit the hard pavement on his back, but was hulled to his feet and forced to walk. Haris, who had unlocked the chain pads from their slots, carried Wanda after them, within Pietro's view range. More agents walked past them, and soon they were dragging Lance and Fred after them  
  
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A/N: YAY! Hope you guys liked it ^.^ I know that Pietro isn't usually the protective brother, but in desperate times come desperate measures...right? Well, even if not, it works for me. It helps show that he does have a softer side. Please review...no flames about the four mentioned disabilities though... Thanks!   
  
Next Chapter: Help Wanted  
  
Yup, next chappy is Todd trying to convince the X-Men to help him rescue the Brotherhood. Will they? Of course! Never underestimate the...er...~persuasiveness~ of a girl in love!  
  
Ok...that sucked, but hey, I'm on a caffeine trip right now, lemme alone! *Hugs 2 liter of Mountain Dew* 


	7. Help Wanted

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men in any way. Just Thymes and Haris.  
  
Summary: When Todd gets the treatment he so badly needs and opens a plea for help, will the request fall on a deaf ear?  
  
A/N: Ack! Sorry it took longer than usual to get this chappy internet bound, but I had to see my little cousins before they go back to Arkansas! So, I won't keep you loyal readers waiting in agony any longer! On with the fic! Enjoy ^_^  
  
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Chapter 7: Help Wanted  
  
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The only sound that marked Storm's decent down into the med. wing was the soft rustle of her cloak, and the occasional pained whimper from Todd. He was slightly upset that she had to carry him, especially since his back was covered in fresh cuts and scrapes. But he had to admire her for her motherly nature...he doubted that there was another person in this Institute that would have risked being struck by Wolverine's claws just to save his ass. He had left his eyes closed, feeling comforted enough in her protecting arms to do so in a place he knew he was not welcome with open arms. He stirred in his half asleep state when he no longer felt Storm walking, and could hear hushed whispers before the soft 'click' of a door closing blocked them out. He opened his eyes, looking around the sterile room nervously. His dull amber eyes shifted finally to rest on the smiling, yet sad, face of Ororo. Then he noticed a slightly snarling Logan and cringed. The door opened, and Scott Summers walked in, looking rather confused as to why he was summoned. Logan didn't glance over in Scott's direction the entire time he was giving instructions, his eyes were fixed on Todd.  
  
"Hold him still, and whatever you do, don't let him move when I pop it back in place."  
  
Todd's eyes widened a little at the words, filling with fear again. Scott looked confused, but did as he was told, holding Todd absolutely still in a death grip. Todd began to struggle when Logan took hold of his upper arm and held it out straight, placing his hand just below where the shoulder connected to the shoulder blade.  
  
"Brace yourself."  
  
Logan growled, but before he finished saying 'self', he wrapped his hand around Todd's thin shoulder and with all his strength forced the shoulder back together in one swift, fluid motion. The dead silence up until that point was broken by an eardrum shattering 'POP', which echoed through the halls like a gun shot. That was quickly followed by pained screams from Todd as he finally pried loose from Scott's grip. Storm took a step forward as she watched Todd writhe under the pain he felt. As the shock of the pain subsided, Todd drew his knees up to his chest, resting his forehead on his kneecaps and uttered every vile word he had ever learned in one continuos sentence. Logan's lips raised in a snarl and he made a motion like he might backhand Todd for using that type of language, but Ororo grabbed his arm.  
  
"Logan, have a little sensitivity. And if you do not think you can handle it, I request that you leave. You too Scott."  
  
She said softly as she looked to the older student, though her look told Scott that whether or not he could handle it, he was to leave. Scott backed out the door without hesitation, to find himself among a swarm of younger students. There was an excited buzz about the 'evil captive' and asking him what it was like to get to torture a 'P.O.W.' Scott scowled at them deeply, just walking away from the excited group and there beliefs. He saw Kurt and Kitty run downstairs, both looking nervous and worried.  
  
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Kurt ran faster than Kitty, and he reached the group first. He heard excited whispers from a few students he hadn't gotten to know very well yet.  
  
"How do you think they caught him?"  
  
"I don't know. But just think! In the war of good versus evil, we just got one up on the evil side!"  
  
There were even more excited cheers. Kurt scoffed at the young students. So naïve.  
  
"Nein, 'e is not a captive."  
  
Kurt growled at the group. There was an awkward silence, then Kitty spoke up.  
  
"Like, the brotherhood has totally been captured by Mutant Control! He's the only one who got away"  
  
The looks of frenzied amusement dropped from the students' faces, worried looks replacing them. Kitty's face was dropped in a forlorn stare, as it had been since Storm had taken her leave with Todd. Kurt had noticed that a certain level of shame rested in her gaze as she looked through one of the large, supposedly soundproof windows into the infirmary. Kurt pushed a few small students gently aside as he followed Kitty right up to the window. She seemed in a trance, too lost in her own thoughts to know what she was doing. Slowly, she reached out and placed her hand at the windowsill, still looking inside. Kurt didn't need to ask what was wrong with her. She had exploded at the thought of her Lance being captured, and Todd had been the best scapegoat around to take it all out on. Too quickly had the emotions blinded her and the words flowed from her mouth, and now she was regretting everything that had happened moments ago.  
  
"Vhy don't you go in and apologize if you are going to be mortified othervise?"  
  
Kurt's voice drew her out of her trance instantly. She turned, staring at the German in disbelief.  
  
"I can't do that!"  
  
She hissed at him, too low for the other students to hear.  
  
"He's a brotherhood member...he deserves everything he got."  
  
The last part of the sentence was not hissed or angered, but whispered. Kurt gave a small, knowing smile. She didn't mean it, he knew by the tone in her voice. He began to slowly notice the whispers of the younger students again, and Kurt turned to them with his famous smile.  
  
"Ok, nothing more to see 'ere!"  
  
There was a groaned protest from the crowd, but Kurt began herding them back upstairs and left Kitty to look in the window.  
  
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Todd sat in the exact same position he had curled into after having his shoulder popped back into place. He was still racked with pain, letting his left arm hang beside him and refused to make it move.   
  
Storm had finally forced Logan to leave. He wasn't the most admirable 'nurse', and it was obvious that Todd was afraid of him. It made her heart ache a little to see him suffer from anxiety out of fear of the metal man and to be injured to this extent at the same time. She hadn't tried to make him move out of the defensive curl, it was rather convenient for her. Since in doing this he had pulled his feet up to rest on the metal table he now sat on, she had easier access to the cut areas on his legs. She had a soft cloth doused in water to clear away the caked blood, and another dry cloth and bottle of peroxide waiting. Carefully, she washed away the crimson from his pale skin. She closely examined the cuts, to insure that the peroxide would help and not worsen the problem. She smiled when she found that none of the wounds were very deep at all, and began to apply to peroxide.  
  
Todd yelped at the bubbling, slightly stinging medication Ororo swabbed onto his cuts, glaring at her half-heartedly.  
  
"Ain't I gone through enough already, yo?"  
  
He groaned miserably. Storm leaned back, looking up at him with a gentle smile.  
  
"I just need to make sure that your wounds don't get infected, or else you will be in far worse pain than now."  
  
Todd just stared at her for a long moment, then buried his forehead back on his kneecaps, closing his eyes. Storm returned to her task, catching a glimpse of Kitty out of the corner of her eye. The young girl seemed to have a lot she needed to say, and Storm beckoned for her to come in. it was a long moment before Kitty even made a slight movement to back away from the window, then she frozen again. Storm motioned once again for her to enter; her movement caught the attention of Todd. He didn't look over at the window in time to see Kitty slip into the shadows of the hallway, and only saw Ororo beckoning to air. He raised a brow, watching her silently for a brief second.  
  
"Yo,you insane or what? There ain't no one there. And if your insane, maybe it ain't such a good idea for you ta be playing doctor..."  
  
Todd's voice became progressively more nervous as he spoke, but Storm didn't look up at him immediately.  
  
"You have a reluctant visitor."  
  
She informed him, her eyes still on the shadowed silhouette of Kitty. She heard Todd give her a common sighing noise, in better words, a 'tah'.   
  
"You really are off your rocker, Storm or whateva your name is. No one here would want to come anywhere near me unless they planned on becoming a murderer."  
  
Storm broke her gaze with Kitty and looked up into the sad amber eyes that were now cast down to the floor.   
  
"You seem very mistaken. And my name is Ororo."  
  
Todd didn't look up until she stated her name, but he looked rather dumbfounded.  
  
"Ororo? What kinda name is that supposed to be?"  
  
"African."  
  
Storm answered him simply. Todd shook his head, requiring no further explanation. A soft squeak of the door hinges made both of them turn their gaze towards the only entrance and exit to the room, but found no one standing in the open doorway.  
  
"This is getting freakin..."  
  
Todd stopped his sentence short, as Kitty rose from the floor a few feet into the doorway, head hung and eyes making no contact with anyone else's gaze.  
  
  
  
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Kurt had succeeded in keeping the herd of students moving until they were back in the rec room. Once there, the younger children all turned and glared at him.  
  
"What's going on Kurt?"  
  
"Yeah! What's the big deal?"  
  
Kurt looked at all of them, giving a sigh. How he hated playing twenty questions. But the persistent youngsters wouldn't take the 'no comment' look he was giving them for an answer. Their demands to know what was going on became louder and angrier the more he refused them answers. Pulling the corner of his mouth up into a snarl, and a few backed down on their demands. But the questions and demands to know didn't stop. Kurt gave an audible growl.  
  
"I don't know exactly vhat is going on. All I know is 'zat Tolansky vas 'ze only brotherhood member to escape capture. I don't know vhy 'e came 'ere or vhat is going on."  
  
He kept his voice as level and calm as possible. The demands slowly silenced, murmurs replacing them. Kurt inwardly gave a sigh of relief. The younger students began to sit down to chat among themselves, no doubt about more of their own wild ideas of why Toad was in their midst. And when they were spread out, Kurt was able to recognize a few faces more clearly. Sam and Ray, as well as Jubilee and Rahne were among the confused group. He gave them a small wave before porting back down to where he had left Kitty.  
  
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Todd watched Kitty skeptically, a growl was restrained in his throat. Storm seemed mildly amused by her choice of how to make her appearance in the room. Kitty slowly rose her eyes too meet both curious onlookers.   
  
"Storm, could you, like...."  
  
The white-haired woman needed no further submission of the request. She had a feeling that Kitty was loathing herself for earlier, but she had never guessed that it would bother the girl to the point that she would make a one on one apology. Walking past Kitty, Storm took her leave. It was fine with her, she had to go speak with the professor in private.  
  
Watching Storm as she left, Todd turned back to Kitty.  
  
"Whatda you want, valley?"  
  
He asked harshly, and Kitty hung her head a little more.  
  
"Todd, I-I'm here to...to"  
  
"Admit that you're a star pupil in bitch school?"  
  
"Just shut up...this is hard enough already."  
  
Kitty replied, a small hint of hate in her tone. Todd's small smirk grew just a little more when she didn't deny his accusation,nor did she really go around it. Kitty looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears and her bottom lip quivering a little. Had they been anywhere but the Institute, Todd would have burst out laughing at her. But since he was behind enemy lines, he decided to humor her by listening.   
  
"While I'm young, valley."  
  
He growled slightly when there was a continuing silence. Kitty took in a deep breathe, forcing back the threatening onslaught of tears.   
  
"I'm...sorry."  
  
She said slowly.  
  
"For, you know, earlier."  
  
Todd had lost his smirk, he just stared at Kitty for a long while. And x-geek was apologizing to him? He wasn't sure whether to feel proud of the fact that an x-man felt the need to apologize to him or to be offended. But then again, there were few who would even let the thought of an apology to Todd Tolansky cross their mind. In his lack of response, he noticed that Kitty had diverted her eyes to the floor again in sorrowful rejection.  
  
"Don't sweat it, yo. You think I don't go through shit like that everyday?"  
  
Kitty's eyes shot back up at him, seeming sad and angry at the same time. She was angry because she hadn't needed to apologize in the first place and go through the humiliation, but sad because of the latter sentence. She couldn't imagine being spoken to and treated like that every since day. The thought baffled her. Todd had allowed his eyes to close again. The same calling to sleep that he had felt back in the forest was calling him yet again. Kitty stood still for a moment, then spoke up again.  
  
"But...how is your shoulder?"  
  
"Hurt's like you wouldn't believe."  
  
He paused, eyes still closed, but could sense Kitty slipping into her loathing 'I'm sorry' state again.  
  
"All thanks to Summers and Wolverine."  
  
He added quickly, opening his eyes just a little. Kitty gave a weak smile, hearing a small sound like a match being lit, and turned to look out the window to see Kurt standing there. She waved to him, but the effort was wasted, for the blue furred mutant had already ported into the room beside her. He was about to say something but Xavier's voice interrupted his train of thought.  
  
~ Kurt, I need you to bring Kitty and Todd to my office. There is a meeting you are required to attend. ~  
  
~ Alright, Professor, ve are on our vay. ~  
  
Kurt grabbed Kitty's wrist without a word, and after studying the difference in angles in Todd's wrists, grabbed his left wrist. Todd yelped, and started to shout at Kurt to lay off the shoulder, but his words were lost in a cloud of sulfur and brimstone.  
  
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Storm walked briskly towards Xavier's office, finding that he had already opened the door. She stepped inside, her eyes widening to find Logan, all the first recruits and the newest recruits all gathered. The only two missing where Kurt and Kitty. Xavier sat behind his desk, fingers laced together and elbows resting on the cherry wood desk, chin resting on his fingers.  
  
"Storm, I was rather hoping you would show up without me barging into your mind. Have a seat."  
  
At the words, Logan and the other occupants of the couch all moved to the left to allow Storm some room to sit. Storm did sit, though on the very edge since she knew that she had to get back downstairs and reset Todd's wrist in a cast. The Professor gave a small smile, sitting back in his wheel chair.  
  
"I know you are all curious to why I have brought you here. It seems that we have a situation that is possibly threatening to us that needs to be discussed."  
  
The Professor stopped and looked to the middle of the room, which for a moment was empty. By the time the rest of the group looked over, there was a dwindling cloud of brimstone and sulfur, where it had once been empty the room was suddenly quite full. Kurt's eyes were the first to appear in the cloud, the outlines of two passengers came next, then all three travelers were in plain sight. This happened in such quick succession that the single appearances all meshed into one sudden appearance. Storm gave a slightly pained smile when she saw the look on Todd's face from where Kurt had grabbed his arm and pulled a little. Kurt gave his famous smile, trying to cut through the thick tension held within the room, and released the wrists of his passengers. The groups attention was directed back to Xavier as the wheelchair confined man cleared his throat.  
  
"Now then, Todd, would you be so kind as to fill us in as to the precise reason behind your visit?"  
  
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Todd looked from face to face, catching all the malice glances that were sent towards him. The only eyes from which came no motive to kill him where from Storm, Xavier, and partly from Kurt and Kitty. He avoided Logan's gaze all together. His inner coward screamed at him to make a break for it, but Todd forced himself to stay. He by himself couldn't do much anything to help the captured members of the Brotherhood, and that would mean he had absolutely no one he could turn to. Kurt and Kitty, he noticed, had stepped at least three feet away on either side of him; leaving him in the spotlight. Finally, Todd focused on the patiently waiting Professor.   
  
"It's like this, yo. Lance got this invite to crash here, so..."  
  
He was abruptly interrupted by Scott leaping up, and even from beneath his ruby quartz shades, pure daggers were shot from the glare he must have been giving Kitty.  
  
"Invited!? We didn't hear a word about this!"  
  
"Scott, please sit down."  
  
The Professor urged. Scott turned his head slightly towards Xavier, more to acknowledge that he had heard him than to show that he would comply though. Logan took the opportunity to step in.  
  
"I'm just as curious about frog-boys little waltz into the mansion as the resta your team Summers...so I suggest you sit down and shut up."  
  
Scott reluctantly sat down, giving Logan no acknowledging turn of his head. Todd smirked inwardly, but remained visibly nervous on the outside.  
  
"Like I was sayin'...Lance drug us all out to come here. That's when the agents jumped us, yo. Outta no where too."  
  
"If they were so 'out of no where', Tolansky, then how did you escape?"  
  
Evan snarled.  
  
"The guys darted Rocky, we slammed into a tree and I got a free flyin' lesson."  
  
Todd scoffed back in Evan's direction. He noticed Evan start to flex the muscles in his arms as he clenched his fists shut, and ducked just in time to miss a spike. Storm gave her nephew a stern look.  
  
"Evan, control yourself. If there are Control agents around, then it concerns us a great deal more than we might realize."  
  
"Sorry Auntie-O"  
  
Came Evan's hollow reply, though he didn't look a bit sorry. Xavier began to speak after a long moment, diverting everyones attention back to him.  
  
"Todd, you need to tell us everything you can about what the agents were using, better yet which direction they headed off in."  
  
Todd watched Xavier, and shrugged.  
  
"I was out cold up in a tree, yo, there ain't much I can tell ya. But I did see the vans, they were loading up the guys n' Wanda. They headed East after that."  
  
Xavier thought for a long moment, closing his eyes and Todd could only guess envisioning something like a town map in his head.  
  
"That would bring them to New York Bay within a few hours..."  
  
He mused aloud, though it was clearly part of his thought process.   
  
"But where would they go from there?"  
  
Xavier opened his eyes, looking at Todd as if to ask for more information. When Todd only shrugged, Xavier sighed.  
  
"They could be heading in any direction from there...it will be difficult to locate them on Cerebro."  
  
The instant Xavier's eyes started looking doubtful, Todd's own eyes widened.   
  
"Yo, you guys gotta help me. Those guys are practically my family, an' I can't do to much in the line a' savin'. Come on, yo, I'm desperate!"  
  
He heard a harsh chuckle from the back of the room and looked over his shoulder to see Evan laughing.  
  
"You must be pretty desperate to just leave them and come to get out help. Why don't you just go to a swamp or somewhere like that, I'm sure you'd fit right in with the locals there."  
  
There was a hushed laughter that filtered through the room that was quickly silenced by a very pissed looking Kitty. She had come out of no where and was suddenly up in Evan's face, a snarl pasted over her usually calm features.  
  
"Listen here, Evan. That's Lance out there! And unless you, like, want to see just how much pain you can take when I decide to just start phasing your insides out here, then you keep talking!"  
  
The room was silent. It was an eerie and unnerving silence that even the instructors dared not disturb. Evan looked around at all the eyes on him, and slowly held his hands out to the side. He stared into Kitty's heartless eyes for a minute.  
  
"Ok, you shut me up."  
  
He growled at her, though not half as harshly as he would have. He knew that she was being serious, and a serious Kitty was a dangerous one. The tension was still there as Kitty looked towards Xavier. Even the Professor seemed a little taken back by the apprehensive twist Kitty's emotions had taken.   
  
"Professor, you like, have to find Lance and the others!"  
  
"She is right Charles."  
  
Storm said, standing up.  
  
"If we speak of peace, that is peace between mutants as well. We can't just leave them at the hands of Mutant Control."  
  
Todd looked at both the females coming to his aid and couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe the x-geeks weren't so bad after all...sometimes. He looked to the Professor, a pleading look in his eyes. Xavier looked at each face in the room; testing to see that each was ready, then nodded.  
  
"I'll begin searching with Cerebro immediately."  
  
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A/N: Not much to say but, hope you liked it! I was thinking about adding an OC in the next chapter...please tell me if I should or not in your reviews!  
  
~Dragonmistriss 


	8. Send the Pain Below

Disclaimer:Don't own X-Men, just Haris and Thymes.  
  
Summary: The destination is reached, and there are but a few precious hours the Brotherhood is left alone before the spirit breaking begins...  
  
A/N: Just a warning. There WILL be lots of blood shed and abusive scenes. Hey, we are talking about Mutant Control. I will try my best too keep from going into too much detail about the spirit breaking process. That will be the bloodiest, and yes, the brotherhood will get hurt. And to add into the chaos, yes, Thymes is a little insane. That will be proven in the spirit breaking scenes.   
  
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As they were being lead through the dark, damp, dungeon-like holding room; Pietro had to use every bit of will not to limp. The guards at his sides wouldn't allow him to limp, or even look behind them to insure that the others were still being brought in the same direction. He had tried once, and got rapped on his temple by the butt of a rifle. The spot was gashed open, blood flowed down the side of his face, dripping off his chin or continuing to trickle down into his shirt. His eyes were swimming, Pietro himself was trying furiously to keep his vison in focus. He was suddenly shoved sideways, coming into contact with a wall. He let out a low growl, looking towards the guards and trying to focus his eyes in on them. He could just barely make them out in the darkness, they were busy locking the chain pads into place on the walls and floor. Pietro counted the number of chain pads in his mind, shaking his head a little. There were too many for just him. He glanced around, making out three other silhouettes in the same cell. He let out a soft sigh, and closed his eyes. The pain throbbing against the sides of his skull were becoming increasingly more difficult to bear. But he made himself stay awake. He couldn't afford to sleep yet, not while the others were still under the influence of the drugs. He forced his azure eyes to open again, and glared out of the cell, even though he couldn't tell at what.  
  
Haris and Thymes continued to walk into a well lit corridor after the newest mutnats had been safely locked away. Thymes stopped suddenly in front of a closed door, Haris nearly running into him. Pulling a large ring of keys from his pocket, Thymes thumbed through a dozen or more before giving a small grin and inserting the selected key into the lock. Haris looked above the door for a sign to where they were going, but there was no indicator as to what lay behind the door. Odd, since most every room had a sign above it, that this one was so secretive that it remained unnamed. Thymes heard the soft 'click' of the lock giving way to the key, and opened the door, ushering Haris in and closing the door behind them. The room was pitch black, at least until Thymes switched on the light. The room was huge, possibly bigger than the labs. The walls were lined with consoles of buttons and monitors, huge computers and other highly sensitive equipment. Haris felt his jaw drop slightly at the simplew awe of it all, but noticed Thymes wicked smirk and turned to his squad leader. His eyes widened and heart sank when he saw the wall behind Thymes. Whips, spiked maces, deadly looking things, most caked with blood and covered in fine pointed spikes. Thymes near black eyes seemed even more demonic as he looked over the arsenal of torture devices.  
  
"Welcome to my favorite room in this entire facility Rookie....the Operations Room. And these...these beautiful things right here, are why it is my favorite room. Everything on this wall has been tested, and the best of the best were brought here. The perfect breaking weapons...things that will really make the freaks scream. And to see the floor covered in their poisoned blood, there's no feeling like it in the world..."  
  
Haris felt a lump begin to grow in his throat. In his mind, he could see the near death that each weapon had caused... Thymes turned back to him, stepping to one side.   
  
"Choose your weapon Rookie, we've got muties to break."  
  
Haris couldn't make himself move for a moment, his eyes scanned the wall futily for a weapon without the fine pointed spikes or vices...something as close to harmless as he could come. He found none, and looked to Thymes.  
  
"Maybe I'll just stand back...you know....watch the master the first time."  
  
His voice was heavy with his inner pain. He knew that the 'watch the master' ploy would only work for so long before he would have to take one of the weapons in hand and use it. Thyme's stared hard at him for a moment, then shrugged.  
  
"Guess it won't hurt."  
  
He muttered, seeming slightly disappointed, but as he turned back to the wall, his eyes caught the wicked gleam in them again. Row by row, his deep brown eyes scanned the arsenal, finally coming to rest on a weapon straight from an old book. A mace; steel and stained with old blood. The end weighed at least 8 pounds, the way it took Thymes a few minutes to adjust to holding it. The weighted end had needle point spikes on it, as well as welted in shards of glass.   
  
"This little baby will break the weak ones easy. So, for the tough ones, you could say we're starting out easy...."  
  
The middle of the handle had a section of metal that overlapped, and Thymes twisted it, pulling them apart to reveal a thick, spike covered chain. Noting the surprised look on Haris's face, the twisted smirk grew.  
  
"Incase the mutie thinks we've run out of trick."  
  
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Lance slowly began to stir, looking around in the near pitch black light outside the cell. Inside, there was a main light hanging from high above on the ceiling, and a couple video cameras as well. The bottom three feet of the cell was concrete, from there to the ceiling where thick steel bars. He blinked a few times, then slowly sat up, expecting a mesh net to hold him down. But it had been removed and exchanged for shackles just slightly above and slightly below his elbows, so he could barely bend his arms. He grimaced, knowing exactly why they would have put them there to begin with. The serum...they weren't about to let him regain any control over his earth manipulating powers. He looked around him, finding that he was in the far left corner of the cell. Wanda was in the front of the cell in the left corner, Pietro across from her. But Pietro was closest to the door, for what reason Lance could only guess. Freddy was in the back of the cell too, still to drugged to even have stirred slightly. Wanda was beginning to wake up, but Lance knew that Pietro had already discovered that himself. The white haired boy was watching her carefully, having not noticed that Lance was awake. Leaning back against the cold concrete, Lance just watched the twins as Wanda slowly woke up. Her breathing had increased now that she was able to feel the full pain of her broken collar bone. It was when her eyes shot open that Lance braced himself for what would follow.  
  
In her dreams, Wanda had seen everything that had happened, and knew that there was supposed to be pain...yet she could feel none. It was when the drugs wore off that she felt it...slowly at first, like nothing more than a bee sting. Then it grew rapidly, from being hit to suddenly being right beside a detonating bomb. It was then that her eyes shot open. Without having control over her usual ability to find pain, she uttered a sharp scream for a moment, laying back on the floor so she wouldn't have to look at anyone. She had for a brief moment seen Lance, cringing a little at the shrillness, then Pietro. But she closed her eyes, face twisted into a raged snarling look. The pain, it had no words vile enough to even begin describing it. She closed her eyes when she saw the sympathy coming from the two boys, she didn't want to even know they were there just yet.  
  
Pietro watched his sister in silence, though his eyes spoke volumes. He knew how she felt, but could only guess at how much pain she was in. He said nothing to her, even though the threat of being hexed was no longer there. He looked over at Lance once the rock tumbler thought it safe to relax. Lance remained silent too, then looked up at one of the camera's. It had moved to focus on Wanda when she had screamed, so he figured the were programed to follow out-of-the ordinary sounds. Pietro looked up at it too, raised his upper lip into a snarl, then looked away. His claustrophobic nature was beginning to set in, he was surprised he had even made it here without freaking out. The chains seemed to get heavier, like they were trying to pin him flat against the ground, and the walls seemed to be inching closer inwards, towards him, cutting off all hope of escape... He cringed and closed his eyes, Lance took note of it.  
  
"Alright?"  
  
Was all he said, for he seemed to know the irony in the question. Of course nothing was 'alright' now, everything was a nightmare. Pietro shook his head.  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
Lance shrugged a little, looking around and dropping the subject. His eyes were caught by something creeping over the wall in the next cell at the left.   
  
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Two small, pale pink objects slowly made their way to the top of the wall, then there was a pause. Lance strained his eyes, recognizing the objects as hands...very small hands compaired to his. He didn't mention them to Pietro or Wanda, just sat and watched. Slowly, a face appeared through the bars, the face of a small girl. Her hair was dark brown, with natural light blonde highlight in it. Her face was a little moon shaped, like an eskimo, her eyes held a familiar kind of oriental narrowness to them. The color of her eyes was what gave her mutation away. Her pupils were a sapphire blue, fading into icy blue iris's without a distinctive line to separate the two. Her bangs were longer than the rest of her hair, which was cut at the base of her skull, while her bangs where parted to either side of her face and hit just below her shoulder, or so Lance guessed. He could tell that she wasn't that tall, because her fingers dug into the concrete so that she would have an anchor to pull herself up to see over the wall. When she saw him staring at her with his slightly confused deep brown eyes, she dropped back down to the floor of her cell with a small 'thump'. He waited for a minute, to see if she would come back over the wall, but she never did. He sighed a little, leaning back against the concrete again.   
  
Pietro never looked up, his head was hung, his eyes closed. Blood continued to drip idoly from his face and onto the concrete floor, but he made no move to stop it. There was a throbbing in his skull that he couldn't surpress, and it was becoming so bad that he almost wished that the agent had missed his leg and hit his heart instead. Anything to be kept from this kind of pain.   
  
From her cell, Fiona; better known to the rest in the cages as Venom, just sat and listened to the others beside her. She had been here ever since she could remember, her grandfather had brought her here when she had started to grow scales and her lips had started to bow. She loved her grandpa Barson very much, he had promised her that they would find a cure so that she could go outside again. The scientists had never seemed to like her much, but they had found a way to delay the changes occuring. Now 9 years old, she had forgotten what outside looked like. Slowly, she got back to her feet, standing on tip toe and looking over at the four mutants beside her. Her blue eyes held much sorrow. She had seen others like her treated badly, but they had brutalized these four. The sounds of footsteps made her jump back down. Looking out the bars of her cage, she saw Thymes walking. Grimacing when he ripped open the other mutants door, she watched him grab the white haired boy. She bowed her head. She couldn't watch the violence. She knew what was happening...  
  
Pietro struck out at Thymes as he tugged roughly on the chain around the collar on his neck, Pietro's fist connected with the larger mans jaw. But Thymes only smiled wider.  
  
"I'm gonna enjoy breaking you."  
  
He snarled, then grabbed Pietro by the throat and lifted him off the ground. His hand wrapped almost all the way around the younger boys throat, constricting so tightly that Pietro could hardly breathe. Without warning, Thymes slung him at the bars of the cage next to him. Pietro hit the wall with his back, his head slamming into the bars. For a moment he stood there quivering, holding onto the top of the wall to steady himself. To his surprise, there came a small voice behind him.  
  
"Please don't act tough. If you do, he'll only kill you trying to break you..."  
  
Pietro was only able to get a glance and the oriental girl that was speaking to him before he felt the collar on his neck lurch forwards and felt himself jerked off of his feet by the force. Without waiting to give Pietro the oppertunity to get up, Thymes began walking, dragging Pietro along the ground as the white haired boy grappled with the collar, trying to keep it from cutting through hihs throat.  
  
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Lance and Wanda watched in horror as Pietro was drug away to God knows where. They exchanged glances, then heard a door slam and knew that they were gone. Lance struggled up to his knees, looking into the next cage. He had heard the girl talking to Pietro.  
  
"What do you know about surviving in this place."  
  
Lance growled at the girl. Wanda had refused to move. She had found a spot that didn't send fire shooting through her chest and neck, and she was staying there as long as she could. Lance narrowed his eyes when he saw the child. The way she looked told him that her age was still a single digit, and the lack of chains on her made him suspicious. She had to know something they didn't. Her continual blue eyes stared up at him, fearfully for a moment. She obviously wasn't used to being spoken too.   
  
"Well?"  
  
He snarled again, but this time his snarl was met by Wanda's.  
  
"Who the hell are you talking to?"  
  
"This kid over here."  
  
Wanda turned her eyes towards Lance, and scoffed.  
  
"Ok smart one, ask a little kid. But your not going to get much out of her I'll bet."  
  
"We'll see about that..."  
  
Lance reached through the bars as far as his chains would allow and grabbed at the girl. She jumped back, and to his surprise emitted a serpentine hiss.  
  
"What the hell..."  
  
He withdrew his hand.  
  
"What's the matter Lance, afraid of a little kid?"  
  
Wanda scoffed. There was no sarcasm in her voice, only anger, annoyance and pain. Lance looked towards the scarlet clad form.  
  
"She...hissed at me..."  
  
Wanda closed her eyes, looking as if she might have considered laughing.   
  
"Well, you are a genius, aren't you? This is only a Mutant Control lab, now why would there be more mutants than just us here?"   
  
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Pietro reluctantly followed Thymes down the winding halls, past more empty cages, some occupied by half dead mutants. A few had been so badly mutalated that they were no more than blobs of flesh with what seemed to be limbs. Pietro forced himself to focus on the back of Thymes head, wishing at that moment that he had Summer's powers so he could fry the agents brains out.   
  
Haris listened to the approaching sounds of foot steps, horror reflecting from his eyes. Thymes was mad, fit to be in the mutants place...he would kill the teen if Haris wasn't there. His eyes flickered up to the heavy iron door as Thymes strode inside the thick steel walls of the room. Pietro limped along behind him, a snarl plasted on his face. Haris hung his head slightly, wishing the boy would give it up. He would only get himself killed. The smirk on Thymes face was only magnified now, greater by far than the deadly smirk he had worn in the weapons room. Haris watched as he chained Pietro to the middle of the room, right below where the only light was, before slinking silently into the shadows where Haris was.  
  
"Watch and learn Rookie."  
  
Thymes hissed, and began stalking around in a tight circle around the mutant, just out of the lights reach.   
  
"You are here to be...re-educated. First lesson, repeat after me. 'I am a freak'."  
  
Pietro stared at the ground, trying to listen to where the voice was coming from. But it was no use...the ceiling was domed, making the voice echo. Pietro ignored the girls warning. He wasn't going to give them the pleasure of thinking he had been broken. He wasn't a God damn slave, not to anyone.  
  
"Sorry, never did like school."  
  
He scoffed, and soon realized why the child had warned him. Out of the shadows, Thymes sprung like a panther, smacking Pietro across the chest with the end of the mace and springing backwards again.  
  
Pietro gasped for breath, sinking slightly as he attempted to regain his composure and control over his lungs. He did dare look down at the huge gashes left where the mace had struck, he could feel his stomach coated in his own blood already. From all around him, Thymes voice echoed.  
  
"Wrong answer, mutie. Lets try again, shall we? 'I am a freak.'"  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
Again, Thymes sprung at him, this time from behind, raking the mace along Pietro's back.   
  
"Wrong again. Unless your trying to see how much blood you have to loose to die. Which by all means is fine with me. Seeing you dead will only make your friends cave in more..."  
  
Without warning, the mace flew at Pietro again, knocking his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, coughing up blood when he finally felt that he could move at all. Thymes stood over him, smirking.  
  
"One more time...'I am a freak'."  
  
"Yeah, you are."  
  
The mace came down hard on Pietro's shoulder, making him finally scream out in pain. Thymes eyes were blood thirsty, his tongue rolled over his lips. Haris's eyes widened. Thymes was insane...he had to be. Stepping out from the shadows, Haris stared at Thymes.   
  
"The boss wants them all alive...remember?"  
  
Thymes shot Haris a deadly glare, for he had dared remind him. Reaching down and grabbing Pietro by the back of the neck, Thymes pulled him into the air. Giving a swift flick of his wrist, the mace opened up, and he dropped Pietro at the same time grabbed the other end of the mace. Before Pietro could react, the chain was tight around his neck. He felt himself suffocating.  
  
"I'm not going to ask you to repeat again. 'I am a freak'."  
  
Gasping for breath, Pietro finally caved in a little. He couldn't take it any more, he could feel his blood draining from his body...like feeling himself die....Then everything went black, and Pietro passed out.  
  
Thymes released the chain, cursing loudly. He glared over at Haris, and he slowly smirked.  
  
"Never broke him...more fun for next round. Take him back..."  
  
Then Thymes stormed out of the room. Haris looked at the crumbled body of Pietro, removing the chain pads from the floor and slowly dragging the teen back. He cringed though, for the fact that he had to increase the cruelty by doing this. But the other worker would know that he had done the merciful act of carrying Pietro back from the blood stains that would be left. He grimaced also at the thought that he would be the one dishing out the pain next time...  
  
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A/N: *heavy sigh* I think that sucked. But my friends who have read it said it was good. I don't know...I just am not in much of a writing mood right now, so everything I write, I say it sucks. So, it's all up to you, dear reviewers. Please, no horrible flames though. Just tell me if it needs improving or not. If so, I'll go back and work on it. So, please R&R...*sinks into 'un-happy place'*  
  
~Dragonmistriss 


	9. Morning Light

Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men. Short, simple...no headache for me. Yay.  
  
Summary: Where will the search for the brotherhood on Cerebro lead the X-Men and Todd?  
  
A/N: *ducks under desk to avoid death glares* I am so sorry it has taken me so long to update. This story has started giving me headaches I've started thinking about what I want to happen next. That and the start of school has slowed me down a little. Anyway, I'm sorry. I WILL finish it, of that you need have no fear. I couldn't just let you guys leave it to your own imaginations to figure out what happens next!  
  
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Back down in the med room again, Todd sat on the cot as Storm wrapped gauze around his wrist and bottom half of his hand. He felt her pause, and looked over at the windrider to see what was wrong. Her blue eyes were fixed on his hand, brows furrowed in contemplation. Todd looked down at his mostly bandaged hand and noticed what was puzzling her. The slightly webbed area between his thumb and index finger.  
  
"It ain't gonna hurt, just not too tight yo."  
  
Storm looked up at him, the quizzual look gone.  
  
"Are you positive?"  
  
Todd nodded, watching her as she carefully wrapped the guaze over the webbing. He noticed her wince every time he did, and glanced up at her.  
  
"Little nervous, eh?"  
  
Storm looked at him, and gave a soft smile.  
  
"I do not like seeing others in pain, especially if there is a doubt that I am causing it."  
  
Todd gave a one shouldered shrug and closed his eyes. Damn he was tired, he hadn't realized what blood lose could do to you. Storm finished, applying a shell over the guaze that covered his wrist and silently walking out of the room. Todd opened his eyes only slightly to watch her leave, and as soon as she was out of view he lay down on the hospital bed and hit the light switch to off with his tongue. He let his eyes close, enveloping him in a secondary shield of darkness. The last concious thought he had was of Wanda and what she must be going through, and he felt a tear trickle down his cheek just before sleep consumed him.  
  
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Xavier sat in front of Cerebro, donned in the usual head gear. Logan stood at his left, growling slightly when he saw Storm approach them.  
  
"You left slime boy alone to reck havoc?"  
  
Storm gave him a cold glare.  
  
"The only havoc will be in his dreams more than likely. You need to have a little more faith in the brotherhood members Logan. Most of them just don't feel like they will fit in."  
  
Logan furrowed his brows together, returning the cold glare.  
  
"And maybe your too trusting 'Ro."  
  
~Both of you stop it.~  
  
The Professor said as calmly as possible through telepathy.  
  
~Your breaking my concentration.~  
  
Logan broke the glaring contest between himself and the weather witch, turning back towards Cerebro. Slowly the masses of red dots began to lessen as the complex computer narrowed down the brain waves.   
  
It was serveral minutes later before Xavier opened his eyes, seeming puzzled. Logan looked at the wheel chair confined man, returning the curious look.  
  
"Whats up?"  
  
"Strange...Cerebro is reading the brotherhoods brain waves as coming from the center of the Bermuda Triangle...but its not coming up that there is any island near there."  
  
"A laboritory ship perhaps?"  
  
Storm offered, but Xavier shook his head.  
  
"I highly doubt it, they aren't moving at all."  
  
"Lets get the kids ready and load into the X-Jet. We can think of a plan on the way."  
  
Logan growled. It was obvious that he wasn't too keen on helping the enemy escape.  
  
"Logan, the Bermuda Triangle is ledgended to pull planes into the ocean. Even I couldn't save us if something were to happen."  
  
Storm cautioned. Xavier nodded, a strange smirk played on his face.  
  
"Luckily, we have a new line of defense. A fleet of jet skis, fully equipped to support two passengers and with specially made turbo jets. They could get the team there as quickly as the X-Jet."  
  
Logan now shared the smirk.  
  
"Charles, you think of everything. How fast do they go exactly."  
  
"When last tested, close to 100. They have outfitted stabalizers, but for ocean travel, faster than 90 is too dangerous."  
  
Logan smiled, nodding.  
  
"Lets get the skis prepped then."  
  
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Morning came too quickly in the opinion of the sleepy X-Kids, all except Kitty. She had been constantly pacing ever since she had discovered her Lance's fate. Her face seemed permanently stained with tears, always slightly wet with little rivers running down her cheeks. She finally was forced to sit on the end of her bed when her legs began to give out on her. She cradled her chin in her hands, sighing heavily.   
  
'I wonder how Lance is...'  
  
She thought, then a strange thought entered her mind.  
  
'I wonder if Pietro's alright too...'  
  
Her eyes snapped open a little more. Where had that come from? Sure...Pietro was cute, but he was far from charming towards her...or was he? She shook her head.  
  
'Stop it!'  
  
She shouted at herself. She didn't care about Pietro...she loved Lance.   
  
'Or do you?'  
  
The same small voice taunted in her mind. Before Kitty could utter an audible scream of frustration, Logan's fist assulted her door, making her jump.  
  
"Get suited up, we're moving out at 0400 hours."  
  
Then his heavy footsteps moved towards the next door. Kitty thought back, trying to remember when '0400' was. She looked at her digital clock, the glowing red numbers read 3:20. Logan never gave them enough time to do anything but get suited up..so she quickly figured out that they were leaving in 40 minutes. She leapt up, racing down to get ready. The sooner they got there, the better.  
  
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Todd nearly toppled out of the cot when Logan's snarling voice reached him. He squinted against the lights which the metal man had turned on, and managed to shoot a glare at the black blur that he assumed was Logan.  
  
"Get up, we're movin' out...now"  
  
"Right now?"  
  
"Yes, move it"  
  
Logan growled again, stomping out of the room. Todd sat up, running his hand through his messy hair and yawning. He let himself slide to the floor, and staggered back to his feet. Blindly walking through the room, his outstretched hands met a wall, and he followed it until he found the doorway and finally made his way out into the darker hallway.  
  
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Logan stood down at the hidden water bay, the new fleet of pitch black jet ski's with bright silver X's within a circle were still for the most part. Storm stood beside him, her arms folded across her chest, her battle face in place. Logan couldn't help but smirk a little, Ororo looked much more attractive when she was mad. The shuffling sounds of feet being drug sleepily across the floor reached Logan's ear, and he let out a commanding snarl.  
  
"LET'S GO!"  
  
The shuffling sound was abandoned for the sounds of sprinting, and Logan half smiled with satisfaction. Finally, all the students stood before the two teachers, Todd slightly farther away from the main group.  
  
"Ok, only the older students can drive these babies, so listen up to who your paired with..."  
  
There was an excited whelp of joy from Kurt, making some of the students cringe at the shrill noise so early. The younger students groaned a little, though their eyes had lit up a little at the sight of the massive jet ski's.  
  
"Ok, here we go."   
  
He turned to Ororo, who held a small paper in her hands.  
  
"Teams, after I announce you, go to a jet ski and wait."  
  
There was a nod from all, and she began to read.  
  
"Scott and Rahne.  
  
Jean and Amara.  
  
Kurt and Bobby.  
  
Kitty and Ray.  
  
Rogue and Sam.  
  
Evan and Jubilee."  
  
The students all made their way to the jet ski's, and a large, deep blue form entered the door.  
  
"I'm not late, am I?"  
  
Came Beasts soft voice. The three remaining kids looked rather confused.  
  
"No, your just in time."  
  
Ororo reassured Beast, then looked at the last three.  
  
"Jamie, your with Logan. Roberto, your with Beast, and Todd, your with me."  
  
She said. Todd gave a nervous smile, warily approaching the jet ski Ororo indicated too. This was bound to be a long ride...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Yes...it's kinda short. I'll try and write chapter 10 asap! I hope you guys enjoyed, please R&R. Yes...you may yell at me for not updating sooner if you feel compelled to do so. 


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